


Forbidden Love: The War Within

by xeXeeD



Series: Chronicles of Zane Ashtin [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Angst and Romance, Blood and Violence, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Gun Violence, Philosophy, Pokephilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 06:47:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 28,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15657942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xeXeeD/pseuds/xeXeeD
Summary: After Waking to a strange and awful dream, Zane Ashtin finally starts his journey after missing his chance for years. But Along the way, his journey becomes twisted and mangled by fate.





	1. It's a New Day!

This is the first part of a five-part story.

I have posted this story on a few platforms so far in hopes to interest more people. But it will take some time to get used to this platform. Anyways I hope you enjoy! So without further ado, I present you "Forbidden Love: The War Within" by xeXeeD! And by the way, I do not own or am a part of or affiliated in any way with Nintendo, Gamefreak, or any other company that is a part of the Pokemon franchise. This is completely non-profit and free to all viewers. Thank you!

"You are what you love, not who loves you." - _Fall Out Boy_

(POV)

_(Location)_

**(Thought)**

(Speech or  _speech_ )

[Time]

* * *

 

(Zane's POV)

( _Dream)_

I open my eyes and I was sitting in a pitch black room. I didn't notice I was sitting in a corner until I tried to walk. I had my legs to my chest and when I tried to get up I couldn't move a muscle. I was paralyzed and couldn't even move my arm. Then the lights above me flickered on and revealed a fennekin standing in front of me. Then the old fluorescent lights flickered again and the fennekin was missing, and instead, a braixen stood in front of me and then slowly walked towards me and whispered something into my ear and then gave me a peck on the cheek.

At this point, I wasn't exactly trying to figure out what she said to me. I was trying to figure out why she kissed me on my cheek. She sat next to me and put her head on my shoulder.  **How was she able to speak? who is she?**  More questions filled my head as the lights flickered again and then it was just me.  **Where am I? How did I get here? Who was that Braixen?!**

But then all of a sudden I was able to walk and move again. The room I was in had a door that which I exited the room out of. There was a long corridor about fifty feet long that I walked down. The hallway was perfectly white and it was a little painful to see because of so much light was being reflected off the white ceiling, floor, and walls.

I take a left turn going down that corridor and then I start to feel a presence with me. My childhood was weird. For some reason, no one was able to scare me or at least surprise me because, I don't know how, but I was always aware that it would happen. It was like I was a lucario and I was able to feel everyone's aura. So I became cautious and became aware that I'm not the only one here. Then That's when I hear footsteps behind me so I stop... I wait... my stalker does nothing and waits for my move. So I slowly turn around and I see him in plain sight. He was a creepy looking man in a charcoal black cloak with a red trimming. his hood was over his head, but I could slightly make out his face and see that he had long, red hair. It was obviously a dude because his figure gave it away.

We stood there staring at each other for what seemed like a millennia. he started to get suspicious as he reaches into his pocket to retrieve something. I became interested in what he was trying to get and ask the man.

"What are you doing?" I could tell he found his objective as he smiles when he looked at me. he pulls it out and to my shock, it was a gun being pointed at me.

He then maniacally yells at me ,"My only mission is to rid this world of you!"

Panic sets in I get lost in wonder.  **What does he have against me? What did I do wrong? Who is he?**  I then run as fast as I can further down the hallway as if I were running in the Kanto Region Olympics. he fires the gun and I barely escape the shot as the bullet grazes me. It stung so much because it was a little more than a graze. So I instinctively cover my left arm with my right hand.

My childhood flashes before my eyes. My parents, and my life. Death became so eventful. I could feel my heart bursting out my chest. adrenaline starts to set in and I could feel butterfree in my stomach. The man shoots his gun at me once again but he fails and hits the floor and then I hear him frustratingly scream ,"Dammit!"

And then I get my hopes up as I take a right turn and see a door in front of me. I then try to open it up for dear life. But then all my hopes are shattered into nothing for the door was locked. I could feel the excruciating pain of the wound on my left arm.

I then pray to Arceus asking him to forgive me for my sins. And then as I sobbed with my knees on the ground with my hands cupped I ask ,"What the hell did I do to deserve this?" After a few seconds of silence except for my sobbing.

I hear the man behind me telling me ,"You already know what you did, scum." then somehow the door opens and in front of me was the Braixen from earlier with horror in her face as she looks at the man with the gun. She didn't move at all as she watched the man push me down with his foot.

I laid on the ground chest down and I look up and begged for mercy to the braixen ,"Please... Help me..." She stood there paralyzed by sheer terror. Afraid that the man might kill her first.

The unknown stalker laughs and says ,"No one can help you now." And I close my eyes waiting to feel the sweet sensation of death engulf me and drop me into a never-ending void. But then something strange happens I hear static in my ears and then everything goes pitch black and then my parents appear before me looking at me with shame

They say ,"Son, we're so disappointed in you. Why did you choose her?"

And I hear a group of people laughing at me throwing stuff at me calling me names like freak, loser, and to my confusion... Pokemon Lover? But once again everything goes pitch black and the man is in front of me. he pulls the gun out and fires at me shooting me in the head.

* * *

At that same moment, I wake up screaming in my bed. I was sweating profusely. I look around my room to check everything. I see my old machamp, hitmonlee, gyarados, and hitmonchan action figures all lined up on my window seal. I look at my massive pangoro plushy and my Play Center 4 controller. Looking at my childhood toys confirmed that I was not dead and it was just a dream. Relieved to know that I was alive, I slowly turn around to look at my alarm clock and noticed ,"What?! Its nine in the morning?! I was supposed to be at the Professor's lab at seven. Ah, fuck not again!" I quickly start stripping off my sleeping clothes and threw together an outfit to wear. "Why does this happen to me every time?" I ask myself as I run down the stairs and accidentally miss a step to send me tumbling down the stairs ,"Oh shit!"

I slowly get back up off the floor to collect myself again then instead of running I walk over to the kitchen counter and I see a note on the refrigerator door saying ,"Hey Zane! I knew you would be late so I packed a backpack of clothes and essentials for your journey through Kalos including food and water! -Love Annabelle", Throughout my life my big sister has always looked after me. I never knew why she did. Well, I guess she isn't that much older than me. I'm fifteen and Annabelle is eighteen. I look at the bag sitting on the kitchen counter and see that there is another note ," P.S. I put your favorite blue scarf in the backpack for you when you're going to Dendemille Town!" I was happy to see that she had packed my favorite scarf I had since I was a little tot. It was so warm and it had a royal blue color too, it is also made out of mareep wool.

Although I didn't see a tent with the backpack. "I guess she didn't pack a tent. Oh well." I quickly go into the basement to pick out a tent. I grab the tent that me, Sis, Mom, and Dad all used to sleep in when we went on camping trips.I grab two small sleeping bags as well. The second is for emergencies.

With everything packed and ready I ride my mach bike I got for my fifteenth birthday back in August as fast as I can to Professor Sycamore's lab. which was all the way in Lumiose City. "Good Mew, It's like halfway across the map!" It took me an hour to get there so instead of getting to the lab at seven like I was supposed to, I got to the lab at ten in the morning. My lungs were completely exhausted from the ride to Lumiose City.

I arrive at the lab and I run to the door to open it just so that the professor opens it for me. "What took you so long?" the professor looks at me confused , "You were supposed to arrive at Seven."

I look at his smug face and tell him ,"I kinda woke up a little late again." I hung my head low and say ,"Just like last year."

the professor replies ,"And the year before that?"

I look at him with a mild face and say ,"Pretty much." I was supposed to start my journey three years ago when I was thirteen.

The professor frowns slightly and sighs ,"Well, I'm sorry to say this, but you're too late again."

I melt with sadness and reply ,"Really?!"

The professor adds ,"Oh, but I do urge you to come and meet someone." He chuckled a little ,"You'll love this."

Sycamore turns around and walks back into the lab and beckons me in. A bit skeptical I follow him in. We walk through the lab passing a few beakers and flasks and other mystery machines. I recognize a few faces here and there and wave to them. We then enter an elevator. He presses the third button sending us to the third floor. We then continued walking down the room until we took a right and entered his office.

I gave him a mild look and asked ,"So... Who I am I meeting again?"

The professor takes a pokeball off of his desk and tosses it in front of me. A fennekin comes out. "No more starters, huh?!" I said in a sassy tone. Sycamore had an awkward smile.

He starts ,"Zane... I would like for you to meet, Ruby!"

And to My surprise, she replies to him ,"Ugh. That space is so uncomfortable! I don't think I can take much more of it"

I thought my mouth was going to drop to the floor. "How is she able to talk?!" I exclaimed my question out loud. The fennekin just looked at me and smiled like nothing important happened at all.

Professor Sycamore replies ,"We just found her outside of Lumiose City without any parents or a trainer. She says that her parents taught her how to speak but one day she woke up and they weren't there with her." The fennekin looked really sad with a slight tear in her eye. Ruby asked for the professor's attention so he knelt down to her. All I could hear was mumbling. Then the professor looks at her with shock and says ,"Of course not." The little fennekin looked liked she was about to cry and just when she was about to bawl her eyes out Sycamore looked concerned and finally said ,"Okay! Fine, you can go with Zane, please just don't cry it's so-" And before Sycamore was able to finish his sentence, the fennekin exploded with happiness cheering for her new journey that she was about to go on. That is until the professor replied ,"That is if he says you can join him." And then at that moment, I realized that this fennekin really isn't your normal everyday fennekin... Well, obviously. But this fennekin was the same one that appeared in my dreams last night. I thought to myself  **Maybe if I take this fennekin with me on my journey then I'll learn more about her and that extremely strange dream.** I was staring at her with complete focus thinking about the dream I had last night.  **Maybe she might not be? Or maybe the dream was like a foretelling of my future? If so then who was the man with the long red hair?**

I was lost in thought until Sycamore came over and shook me a little replying ,"Uhh, Sycamore to Zane, do you copy? Hello?" My mind was shattered when Sycamore got my attention ,"Huh... oh... what?"

He looks at me as if he were confused. "Can Ruby go with you on your journey?" I looked at the fennekin again and made up my mind ,"Of course you can come with me!" Then she runs up to me and full on tackles me to the ground and started to attack me. "No stop!... Ahhhh! Okay, I get it! hahahah! No stop that tickles!"

Professor Sycamore just looked at me and laughed ,"Hahahaha! Looks like your gonna have your hands full. But since she is one-of-a-kind, there is one condition. We have to keep in contact at all times. And always monitor her, okay? Essentially you're just doing the job for me."

I comment ,"Oh no, what have I gotten myself into this time?"

He tosses her ball over to me and just before I was about to return her she looked at me and said ,"Is it okay if I stay out of that cramped up space?"

I glance at the pokeball and then say ,"Why not?"

She looked content. "I can't wait to go! When will we be going?"

I looked at her and replied ,"Right now!" I smiled.

"Okay well, I guess it's time to say goodbye!" Sycamore says with a smile ,"I'm sure we're gonna see each other again, Ruby!" As I was going back to the elevator she jumped onto my shoulder and waved her paw back at Professor Sycamore. I exit the lab and I check on which gym or place I should go to first and then I thought  **maybe I should go try and fight the Santalune City Gym and while we're there we can visit my best friend Jett!**

"Well, Ruby are you ready to embark on an adventure?!" She replies to me ,"I was born ready!" 


	2. Stand Up and Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before continuing on Zane's journey with a new companion named Ruby, trouble brews in a restaurant. But how will Zane handle this situation? All the while, Ruby keeps the secret about her real plans for Zane from him.

* * *

 

(Zane's POV)

_(Lumiose City)_

While we were still at Lumiose City we went ahead and looked around the place going to various stores and markets. As I show my new pokemon Ruby around... of course... we get weird looks from everyone. It kinda annoyed me a bit seeing as it's highly rude to stare at someone, but I don't blame them. It's not every day you see a trainer with a fennekin that can speak just like you and me.

We walk around some more but then all of sudden a certain someone's stomach growls at her and nearly everyone can hear it. So I chuckle a little bit and take Ruby to my favorite restaurant in Lumiose City for lunch called "The Pyroar's Den". We enter the restaurant and we get seated. But right after we get seated the waitress looks at me and says ,"Umm... Pokemon are not allowed in here so if you could just put it back in its-"

I interrupt the waitress and reply ,"Please don't refer to Ruby as 'it' ."

The waitress corrects herself ,"I'm sorry... Can you put 'Ruby' back in her pokeball?"

I just look at her with a big smile and say ,"Nope!" The waitress looked baffled by the fact that no one has ever disobeyed her

"But it's restaurant policy!" She looked shook. I then began thinking  **Really this is a restaurant policy? That's just outright stupid. I have never been to a restaurant that didn't allow pokemon on the area.**

I then replied to her ,"Ruby isn't harming anything, is she? No."

The waitress then looks at me with a stern face and says ,"I don't think you understand... It's the rules!" I began getting extremely annoyed with the waitress

"How bout'... This I see your manager and we talk this out one on one." I reply.

She looked so red with anger she looked like a tomato. she stormed off most likely to get the manager. after about three minutes she came back and with a man in a white button-up shirt with a tie and slacks and he says ,"What seems to be the problem, sir?"

I look at him with the same big smile I gave the waitress earlier and say ,"Well you see I'm being told to put my little Ruby back in her ball, but ya'know I just don't think that should be the case..." As I say in the most innocent voice possible ,"I think she should be able to sit with me." And then Ruby just bursts out and says ,"YEAH!"

At that moment everyone in the entire restaurant starts to stare as they have never seen a pokemon that can talk before. Then that's when things get a little awkward. It was so silent except for someone coughing in the corner. The manager just looks around and tells me ,"Look I really don't want to cause a little event here so could you please just put your pokemon back in its pokeball and we can forget that this-"

Then in anger, I interrupt him and I reply to him ,"Her name is Ruby! And besides, haven't you heard a little saying called 'the customer is always right'... Correct? Cayden?" The manager becomes confused as to how I know his name but then remembers that he has a name tag on his shirt. At that moment there were whispers throughout the restaurant. People saying stuff like "Who is that Fennekin?" and "This is kind of entertaining..." or "This is dramatic".

The manager sighs and says ,"Fine! As long as she stays out of trouble." Then with relief, I look at Ruby's face and see concern.

At that exact moment, I remember the real reason I came here today. I put on the biggest smile I could muster up and I say ,"Umm... Excuse me! Yeah sorry for bothering you again but I just have this tiny  _insignificant_  problem..." I can tell the manager was already fed up with me from our last problem. So I bring out my smart ass tone and tell him ,"You see, my little Ruby is just  _famished._ "

And that's when things get real. The manager had the same color on his face the waitress did a minute ago. He turns around and yells out ,"Really?! I just let you off the hook and now you want to order food for that pokemon?!" I was about to step out of line as I was about to punch him as hard as I can in the face.

But I hold back and yell ,"For the last time her name is Ruby!" The  _entire_  restaurant was silent now... There were no crickets to be heard, There were no coughs from my audience, and there were no sounds coming from the kitchen... And then to my shock and disbelief, people started to get out of their seats and stand up. At first, there were maybe two or three, but then they multiplied. There were six, and then twelve... I couldn't believe what was happening! They were yelling out "You tell em'!" or "You go!" People were cheering me on for standing up for ruby.

"Damn," I say as I tell myself.  **This was amazing I didn't think people would react to me.** I then reply in the smart-ass tone ,"So you don't want a little event happening?"

He replies to me ,"Fuck you!"

I laugh as I comment "You know you lost an argument when you resort to profanity." He looked like a ticking time bomb about to explode with rage.

"Fine! Fine! Your 'little Ruby' can eat as well!" He then stormed off stomping his way back to his office.

Ruby looked so ecstatic that she got to eat too. I smiled as she ran circles where she sat in the booth. Then a man in his upper seventies walks up to my table to talk to me and Ruby. He smiles and says ,"Wow, no one has ever done that before! And that's some fennekin you got there. I've never in my life seen a pokemon that could speak." He then gave me what had looked liked his company's business card. It was a card from the bike store. "You can come by anytime and trade in your mach bike for an acro bike. And If you want you can trade in your acro bike for a new mach bike!" He said as I took the card from him ,"What you did earlier is truly something to behold!" He walked away and then others started to visit my table. Telling me how awesome I was or how brave I am for standing up to the manager.

After at least five others visited me and Ruby, the waitress finally came to ask  _us_  what we wanted. She hesitated ,"Umm... Uhh... What would you like for Lunch?" I order Ruby something from the kid's menu and I get, my favorite, the chicken gyro plate. After about thirty minutes our food came out and together we dug into our food. She had the chicken nugget plate with a macaroon for dessert. It was hilarious watching her destroy the chicken nuggets and after she was done she started to lick the plate free of any crumbs.

After we were finished I gave the liberty of leaving the waitress a tip for her hard ache. I didn't want to be the bad guy in this. Instead, I wanted to thank them for allowing me and Ruby to eat at their restaurant.

We were just about to head out of Lumiose City when I hear a strange sound. I was surprised to notice it was... static... Like, the sound you hear when your television antenna isn't positioned correctly. I look around to see where it was emanating from and then it gradually got louder. The sound it stopped shortly after.

"Hmm... Whatever!"

Ruby was trailing behind me and asked ,"Whats the matter?"

I look at her and nonchalantly say ,"Nothing, don't you worry yourself about me."

* * *

(Ruby's POV)

_(Route 4)_

Zane and I were riding on his bike down a trail to a place called... Santalune City? I don't really understand how these places work, but all I know is it's just like where I grew up in the pokemon village. Humans live in cities and that's all I know.

I started dazing off into space as I wonder why Zane had to fight that man so that I could eat.  **I guess other people just think that pokemon are tools and nothing else other than that. But they're wrong. We feel and think the same things humans do. It's not fair that we get treated this way. But then again, I _am_  mistreating Zane. All I want is to find my Mom and Dad. I didn't really want to go with Zane. I wonder what he will think when he finds out, or 'if' he finds out.**

I began thinking about why Zane defended me like that just so I could eat.

I get his attention ,"Zane."

He gets knocked out of his concentration and asks ,"What's up?"

I then asked what was on my mind ,"Why did you defend me earlier in that restaurant?"

He thought about the question asking himself the same thing ,"I don't know... I guess because you're just so adorable." I look at him with annoyance and I can tell by his laughing reaction that I was blushing. Why does he always do that?

Why is he so nice to me? Mom always told me that humans were selfish creatures and to never go near one. But, I guess my curiosity got to me.

Zane's black, short hairstyle waved in the wind. his eyes were a piercing silver-gray. It's almost as if they lit up.  **Maybe Zane isn't all that bad...**

* * *

(Zane's POV)

_(Santalune City)_

After our ten minute bike ride, Ruby and I arrive at Santalune City. My first instinct was to immediately go to Jett's house which is exactly what we did.

He was just as surprised to see Ruby talk as I was when I met her. "Whoa! I can't believe she can talk! That's amazing!"

I chuckled and reply ,"That's what I said." Ruby just looks at us both and smiles.

I then break the silence by saying ,"Hey Jett we're gonna be training around here for a little bit. Would it be okay if-"

Jett interrupts me and says ,"Yes."

I chuckle a bit ,"Wow, that was easy."

Jett replies ,"Yeah, I'll be having the house to myself since my mom and dad will be gone for a little job." I was relieved and told Ruby ,"Well I guess we will stay here for a little bit." Jett and I lay some ground rules as Ruby started to explore around the house. After Jett and I were finished talking about the basics and what had happened at The Pyroar's Den me and Ruby went out and we started exploring the town.

It was about eight o' clock and Ruby and I sit on a bench and watch as the water from the fountain flows.

It was a little chilly that night and so Ruby snuggles to my side a little bit as she lays her head on my lap.

I didn't notice until now that her tail was extremely soft. Her tail was so soft it was almost like petting nothing at all. She also kind of smelled like roses for some reason. The only way I know that is because my mom works a floral shop. Regarding what that man told me earlier at The Pyroar's Den, I thought  **wow she really is _some_ fennekin _._**

 **All of this happened in just a day. I get into a fight with a manager, I start a pokemon journey, but most of all I made a new friend named Ruby.** I drift off into my mind.I looked at my watch and start to get up to return to Jett's house.

We get to his house and I set up my sleeping bag in Jett's room. I look at Ruby who has nothing to sleep with or on. Then an idea popped up in my head,  **I knew I should have packed that extra sleeping bag.** I turn my head to look at her and call her name ,"Ruby."

She replies ,"Yes?"

I smile and tell her ,"I have an extra sleeping bag." she gets excited and comments ,"Really?!"

After an hour of playing on Jett's new Ninflendo Switch, I take a shower and change into my sleeping clothes in the restroom. Usually, when Jett and I are at the other's house we don't care about changing in front of each other. Mostly because we don't give a damn about seeing each other naked. As long as we're not doing anything... Weird... Not that any of it isn't. But, it just didn't seem right changing in front of Ruby. I don't know why but just the fact that she can talk like us kind of set me off a little. It's just like I said before, she really isn't a normal fennekin. But she isn't abnormal like in a bad way. I just can't seem to put my finger on it. Is there something else special I don't know yet?

I walk out and Jett walks in the restroom after I exit. Jett's house was a two-story-tall building. His room was the attic. He said his parents had to move and get rid of some stuff just so that they could re-innovate the attic.

So, I open my sleeping bag and start to get in when all of a sudden Ruby walked over and ask me this ,"Zane? could I sleep with you in your sleeping bag?"

I look at her and wonder what could be the reason and ask her ,"Why?"

She kind of shimmies around and says ,"Well it's just that my mommy and daddy used to sleep with me when they were around. Besides I feel protected!"

I look at her and sigh ,"Why the hell not?" She let's out a yay and quickly jumps in with me. The sleeping bag was rather large so it was no problem fitting both of us in it.

We both fall asleep and let the midnight dreams overtake us.


	3. What Just Happened?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zane and Ruby continue on their adventure after a quick stop at Jett's house. But while they go out to train the duo is attacked by a colony of bunnelby. Zane's actions will determine his fate.

* * *

 

 

(Ruby's POV)

_(Dream)  
_

I was laying down in a gorgeous meadow. It was beautiful with grasses flowing in the wind and a baby blue sky with fluffy little clouds. The meadow was dotted with pink and yellow flowers with a few trees here and there. It was so peaceful. Then I realized Zane was laying next to me looking up to the sky and watching the clouds float on by. The temperature was perfect. It was like a paradise. I close my eyes thinking this was a reality.

But then I feel a disturbance so I wake up to notice that Zane disappeared. The sky was a deep gray with stormy clouds. The trees and flowers were dead. And the grass was dried up and brown. There was a murder of murkrow flying looking for food as they were starving. It was a wasteland now. I thought to myself  **How could this have happened?.**

"War." A shady character walks up to me dressed in a Pitch black robe with a hood over himself. I could tell he had blue hair because it hung out his hood. His hair was very long and wet as if he just had water dumped all over him. "A war between two deadly factions." he continued ,"One seeking total dominance over pokemon, and one seeking true freedom for pokemon." He looks as though he were going to cry. "They fight and fight but no one is victorious. No one will ever be." Now he was full on crying ,"I'm... so... sorry... it's just..." He thought for a second ,"It's so sad." He tried to pull himself together and continue his depressing speech ,"But the saddest thing is... I absolutely  _had_  to kill him."

I look at him confused. "Who are you talking about?"

He had a tear in his eye and looked at me ,"Oh no... I've said too much." Then I remember Zane was missing. And immediately I thought the worst had happened.

"No. You didn't. No! There's no way. I don't understand. Why..." My heart sank.  **Why do I have this feeling in me.**  It felt like tiny needles stabbing into my heart.  **Why am I so sad. Why do I have these feeling as if I lost the only one that had ever mattered to me. He was just my taxi to cross the region. Why is my heart aching.**

The man started to cry even more with sobbing and despair ,"I... I... I'm sorry." He was slightly shivering in the cold wind.

 **Who was this man? why did he have to kill Zane? Whats happening to me?** These questions filled my head as the only thing I could picture in my mind was Zane's face. With his handsome gray eyes and his fine detailed face.  **Why? Why do I have affection for him?**

And in a split second there was nothing but darkness. Zane appeared before my eyes. But his body was mangled, his eyes were missing, and his once handsome unique face had cuts all over it. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. Then his soulless body gets up and stares at me.

And instead of his steady and soothing tone, there was a high pitched sound with blood gurgling. He said ,"We could've been with each other until the very end." And then to my horror and sadness that I didn't understand, half of his head exploded splashing blood drops on me. His body went limp and fell down to reveal a man with a gun. Smoke was emitting from the barrel of the handgun. The man had blood red hair and a maniacal smile. He chuckled as Zane's eyeless body falls down.

I don't know why but I wanted to set him on fire and watch as I disintegrate his entire body into pure ash. My anger was never-ending. But I still don't know why I was so angry.

"Yes. Yes. I can feel the revenge emitting off of you like an aura. I can feel your hatred bubbling inside you." His voice was like a seviper's. He was so sinister it made me shiver. He then raised his gun at me and replied ,"Now it's your turn. It's time to end your existence and join him in an eternal sleep."

"No! Please don't-" But before I could finish he fires the gun.

I wake up inside the sleeping bag next to Zane. I began repeating to myself ,"It was just a dream. It was just a dream. It was just a dream."

 **That was a wild nightmare** I thought. I stare at Zane sleeping peacefully. And began thinking about the dream. **No there's no way. But I guess he is kinda cute. What am I thinking!** I shout in my head. I was probably blushing extremely. I quickly scoot over and make some distance between me and Zane to not seem even a little suspicious to myself. And after I was done finding a comfortable spot to sleep in I close my eyes to visit dreamland again. But then I thought ,"But he's so nice to me. Why?" I thought about it for a second but then fell asleep shortly after.

* * *

(Zane's POV)

(Santalune City *Jett's house*)

I groggily and slowly wake up. I open my eyes a little bit and see that Jett was missing from his bed. I yawn for a second and remember that I don't have to worry about the time ever again. I look around the room looking for Jett and then smell something coming from the kitchen. Immediately I thought  **Jett never told me he was able to cook.**

I then felt something down inside the sleeping bag and look to see that Ruby was sleeping right where my crouch was. My face was redder than a tomato because at that moment I was having a little bit of a "morning wood" situation in my sleeping pants so I start to panic and try my hardest to exit the sleeping bag without waking Ruby up. I thought  **Oh man, this is gonna be the most awkward thing ever if she wakes up and sees me like this.**

I successfully exit the bag and tip toe my way to the bathroom with some clean clothes. As I was changing I thought about Ruby and how adorable she was when I saw her asleep. She was so peaceful and happy. She was kinda cute laying there.  **Wait what am I saying? She isn't that cute. That would be crazy if that actually happened. If me and her were an "item". It's amazing how much a pokemon can be changed when you give em' a voice. It's almost as if she was equal. Well at this point she is equal seeing as how I have treated her ever since we met. But even if that did happen what would Mom think? Or Dad? Or Annabelle? They would freak out.** I was again redder than a tomato while I thought about me and Ruby.

I change into all my clothes and walk into the kitchen to see what was happening. I see Jett was in the kitchen and was cooking some eggs and bacon. "Whoa, I didn't know you knew how to cook!" I exclaim to him from the living room. I walk up to the kitchen countertop and sit in one of the classy rotating chairs.

"Yeah I guess I never had the chance to tell you." he then continued ,"Actually I have known how to cook since I was nine." He turns around and serves me breakfast. Jett was one of those really cool friends that had all the cool stuff in his childhood. He also always knew how to do cool stuff as well. Like learn karate and apparently cook. He has always been a dare-devil. I can't even count the many times he has broken his arm while I was at his house alone. "Man the good ol' days am I right? Wish we could re-live them again. Remember that time I jumped off your roof acting like a superhero?" Jett reminisces about his childhood with me.

"Ya'know you should go ahead and cook Ruby something because she is definitely going to ask." I began ,"It's amazing how when a pokemon has a voice your entire world gets turned upside down."

He smiles and agrees ,"Sure no problem." He looked through his fridge trying to find something Ruby might like. He then stopped and walked over to the ingredients on the counter. An idea popped in his head ,"I got it! I'll make her a bacon omelette!" He beamed out. He began taking out the bacon in the packaging and started to fry it up. After an awkward silence I hear him reply ,"Speaking of Ruby, after I got out of my shower and changed I went upstairs to find that..." I began thinking  **Oh crap! He saw didn't he? He saw me and Ruby sleeping in the same bag. And Jett has always been the type to pick on me about this sort of stuff.** Jett continued ,"You and Ruby were sleeping in the same sleeping bag. I thought to myself well, well, well what do we have here?" For the third time I was blushing in less than an hour!

I started to panic and said ,"No! It's not what you think dude!"

He began laughing and replied ,"Dude you just fell for the oldest trick in the book!" He smiled and commented ,"Now you look even more suspicious than before."

I said ,"Look she told me that she used to sleep with her parents when she was really little. So how could you ever say no to something that adorable?"

He chuckled and said ,"That is the saddest excuse I have ever heard. But look you won't find me hating on you because I  _am_  your best friend. And to be honest you guys look kinda cute together. I mean as soon as she evolves. That really would be something, having a Braixen  _you know who_ on you."

I looked so miserable and said ,"Man it's not like that! I swear! And how do you know she feels the same way?"

He began laughing again and replied ,"Oh so you do like her. Look there's nothing to be ashamed of dude. Not while you got a friend like me!" He exclaimed while cooking Ruby's breakfast."

I was still blushing ,"Man screw you. Why do you always do this to me?"

I then heard a sound coming from the stairs. It was obviously Ruby because she was the only other person in the house. As she walked down the stairs she gave out a yawn and immediately said ,"Whats that amazing smell?"

"Good morning!" I exclaim ,"How did you sleep?"

My question made her hesitate for a second but then she said ,"I guess I sleep okay."

I look dead into Jett's eyes with a glare and I think he already knew what I was saying in my mind. And he gave me a slight relief wink telling me don't worry.

"Well guess what? I made you breakfast!" Jett replied

Ruby looked like she was about to explode with happiness ,"Really?!" She ran over to where me and Jett were. She started looking for the plate of breakfast deliciousness. Jett gave me the plate and I cut the omelet into little squares so she was able to eat it easily. I set the plate down and let her chow down.

"This is the best food I have ever had!" She beamed out.

I replied ,"That's what you said about the chicken nuggets yesterday."

* * *

(Zane's POV)

_(Route 3)_

After Ruby ate her breakfast we went out to train with one another and get used to each other. We found a great spot and started training. "Okay so let's see what you can do!" I take out my pokedex to research her moves and then I notice something truly astonishing. She had learned sunny day. But sunny day was an advanced move used to power up fire moves. And the only way she could have ever learned this was by a TM. I wonder  **How could she have this move? Maybe her parents taught her.** Ruby also had ember, flame charge, and tail whip. This move set was amazing. But that sunny day is a little suspicious.

And then I saw it, her level was fourteen! She was two levels away from evolving. I knew that if she evolved and Jett saw her, he will pick on me about me "liking her" forever. Oh boy, if she does evolve I want her to do it after we kick the Santalune city gym leader's ass. And since the gym is bug type this is going to be easy street with Ruby. I then turn around and say ,"Ya'know what Ruby? We don't have to train today let's just go ahead and go beat the gym."

"Really?" she continued ,"Are you sure about that?" She looked concerned.

"We will be fine, because ya'know what? I have my little Ruby with me. It's going to be so easy!" I exclaim with joy. But right before we start to leave, a wild and angry nest of bunnelby attack us. I panic as they surround us and charge. I don't understand why but for some reason my first instinct was to protect Ruby. Maybe it's because she was so innocent and little. No that's not the case, she is almost a Braixen. There was another reason to it I just couldn't figure it out. Why did I have this undying need to protect her?

I quickly run over to Ruby shielding her from any attacks that might come to her. Well she wasn't exactly trying to fight back so I guess I have a reason to shield her. I could tell that she was scared out of her mind. I don't think this usually happens to her to often. I drape over her like an impenetrable dome. Then thats when one of them quick attacks me in the ribs. Making me flinch. I then tell Ruby calmly ,"It's okay Ruby. I won't let anything harm you." She looked at my face with concern. I couldn't believe what I was saying. It's like my mouth had a mind of its own. The attacks continue and it feels like each attack gets worse and worse.

But then I see a white light emitting off of her and I already knew what was happening. Ruby was evolving. I watch as the once little Ruby starts to change shape and then she stands for the first time. She grows to the point where she is as tall as my chin. Her arms gain length and become human like. Her tail and ears get larger. Her scarlet ear fur gets a bit longer. She grows a beautiful fur skirt and the fur on her lower half changes to black. After she was fully evolved she looked at me and gave me a wink. She was so pretty I thought I was going to have a nose bleed. It's like she literally evolved. She didn't seem like the old little Ruby at all. She then told me to step aside as she torched all the bunnelby at once. It was like a firework show until the nest retreated.

"Thank you for protecting me Zane. Your the one that showed me how to be brave. I wanted to make a difference" She said giving me a hug. I couldn't believe what just happened.  **Did she just hug me?** And then it hit me like a freight train.  **Oh shit, I'm never going to hear the end of it from Jett.** And then I really did have a nose bleed, but not only that I started to cough up blood from my mouth.

"What the fu-" I fall on the ground losing consciousness.

* * *

(Ruby's POV)

_(Route 3)_

I started to panic again.  **Why did he just faint? Is he okay? I hope he's not dead. I guess he endured too much. But what am I going to do I'm not strong enough to pick up.** I started to frantically look around for some help. And remembered what he said to me.  **He said ,"It's okay Ruby. I won't let anything harm you." But why? Aren't I the one that's supposed to be the protector here?** I started to cry.  **Why is he so kind, caring, and gentle to me? He has only known me for a day. Is that his way of making friends? Is that his character? Or does he like me or something?** I hung on the last question.  **Does he like me? Do I like him? I guess I do but not that kind of like.** And then I thought about what he didn't know about me.  **Oh no, what if he does like me. Then I have to tell him that I have just been using him this entire time. Calm down Ruby get it together. Maybe he doesn't actually like you in that way. Maybe he really does have a protective side to him.** I bring his head up to make sure that he doesn't choke on blood. Then I heard Jett's voice and I see him running as fast as possible to where we were.

"What the hell happened?! I saw a bunch of flaming bunnelby running from here and I thought-" And then I see his face go from concern to shock when he sees me. I guess it look like I was about to kiss Zane as I then notice the position I was in. My mouth was inches away from his face with my right paw under his head and my left on his cheek.

I panic and accidentally drop his head ,"Oops..." I picked up his head once again acting like nothing happened.

"Oh Arceus, what happened to Zane?!" He then went back to being concerned for his best friend Zane.

I reply ,"There's no time to explain. We have to get him back home. We need to take him to the center. I'm pretty sure they take injured humans too."

"R-Right." He looked confused as to what had happened. He picked Zane up and threw him over his shoulder. We then run as fast as we can to the pokemon center.

* * *

(Ruby's POV)

_(Santalune City *Pokemon Center*)_

I explain everything to the nurse what had happened and Jett was really concerned. We were standing beside Zane. He was on a hospital bed with wrapping and gauze all over him. He was bleeding in several areas. He was bruised and bashed. His body looked like it got hit by a raging rhyperior. There were various tubes going in different directions and a heart monitor detecting his heart beat and rate. The nurse told me that the only broken bones he had were two ribs. It wasn't that serious though, only small fractures, thank Mew. "They came out of no where. But I was paralyzed with fear. I couldn't protect Zane from them. Instead he protected me. I failed him. Then at that moment where I felt so helpless and weak I evolved to pay Zane back for what he did for me."

Then Jett tried to comfort me telling me ,"It's okay you tried your best." Then I thought  **What is Zane going to do when he finds out I'm using him for my own personal gain?**  The guilt held on to me tightly. I knew sooner or later I'm going to have to tell him.  **After all he has done for me in just two days is remarkable. He stood up for me in the restaurant, he protected me from danger, but most of all he is so generous to me.** And I thank him by taking advantage of him. Then Jett comes out of no where and says ,"Yeah, he has always been like that. Ever since we were kids he always stood up for something. And he was always so kind to me. I can especially remember the time we first met. I was six and he was as well. His mom is a florist so she goes all over the place finding certain flowers to sell. So one time him and his mom showed up at Santalune City looking for a rare type of flower. None of the other kids wanted to play with me because they told me I already had all the cool new toys and that I didn't need friends when I could just buy the coolest thing that was trending. You see I was born into an extremely rich couple's family. But Zane just walked up to me and said Hey I can be your friend. I think your cool! What's your name? And I couldn't believe it. My first friend ever. We became friends really quick. He came over to my house almost every month and we would have play dates and sleepovers. You see without Zane I would probably be a little snobby brat kid getting anything I asked for. He became the brother that I never had." He had a slight tear in his eye remembering the old days he used to spend with Zane.

After a second of silence he continued ,"Then yesterday after I got done taking my shower I went up stairs to see you and him sleeping in the same bag. I told myself wow you really haven't changed a bit have you Zane? I knew that there was something about you that would make his life so much better. I knew that he wouldn't have to come over to my house to not be lonely anymore. Because Zane doesn't have any friends either, except for me." My guilt was tugging at my heart again. Thinking about  **What will happen to Zane when I leave him for good. Good Mew, what have I done to him. His soul will crumble to dust if I do. He will never forgive me.**

"Ruby? I ask that you watch Zane's back for me while I'm not able to. He's always getting into fights trying to defend someone that really matters to him." I think about what had happened not too long ago.  **Do I really matter to him?** Jett continues ,"Zane has always been an extrovert. He never thinks about the situation before he reacts. So protect  _him_  instead when things go South. If he really matters to you."

A tear rolls down my face and I say ,"I will."

Then I could see that Zane slightly open his eyes

"What the hell just happened." He whispered trying to get up. but he hesitated and sat back down due to pain.

"Easy there champ. You have been through some tough shit just now" Jett replies to Zane.

I was so happy to see Zane conscious again. It felt like seeing him after two months of being isolated from him but it was only two hours. I gave him a hug trying not to squeeze to hard or make him uncomfortable. He smiled and hugged me back. I really liked my new form. I now had the ability to give someone a hug. I wasn't exactly able to do that when I was a fennekin.

He saw that I was crying on wiped away my tears telling me ,"It's okay, I'm fine Ruby don't worry."

I gave him a stern look ,"Well you had me worried sick." He tried to at least let out a chuckle. "Really? What were you thinking? Shielding me?"

I could feel Jett's hands on my shoulders ,"Easy, he did just wake up from a two hour coma."

Zane turned his head looking at Jett with a smile ,"Hey! How did you get here?"

Jett laughed and told Zane ,"I'm the one that carried your heavy ass from route 3 to the pokemon center wise-guy."

Zane chuckled and replied ,"I have the two greatest friends a guy could ever want."

I heard Zane say this and it made me cry even more. **He thought of me as one of his greatest friends even after how I have been treating him. Although he doesn't know about it I have to tell him. The guilt has become to unbearable. This is not who I am. I'm a sweet and kind girl that's lost in this world and doesn't know where her parents are. I'm not a person who takes advantage of people and uses them. I'm just trying to find my family that had abandoned me.** But then it hit me. I thought about that word "Abandoned".  **Maybe They don't care about me. Maybe they left me on purpose.**

I began bawling my eyes out and started hugging Zane. He was confused as to why all of a sudden I became so emotional. I then start to tell the truth ,"I'm... so... so sorry Zane! I haven't told you... why I wanted to... really go with you on your journey. I was using you.. so that I might find my family... and be with them once again. I didn't think you would actually... care about me so much. At first I just put on a fake emotion... thinking that you wouldn't ever matter to me." I was sobbing in between every few words ,"But then you showed me how much  _I_  really cared about you. And you showed me how much  _you_  really cared about me by protecting my helpless self against those bunnelby. Zane, I have realized that my parents are never coming back and I have accepted reality. You and Jett are my new best friends and I will treasure the two of you forever. Zane, I have also accepted my fate as your pokemon and you my master. So please forgive me for what I have done. I'm so sorry."

There was a little bit of a silence. Both Zane and Jett were surprised by this turn of events. I hear Zane whisper into my ear ,"Ruby... Don't ever refer to me as your master." He spoke up a bit ,"I'm your best friend and I will treasure you forever as my best friend. We are not trainer and pokemon we are friends. I hate the term master. It sounds so vile. It makes trainers seem like slave owners more than they already do." He hugged me and gave me a kiss on the forehead which made me blush a little. Then I hear him say something else ,"But Ruby listen..." I lean in closer to him ,"Can you please... Loosen your grip on me? Your death hug is taking a toll on my fractured rib.

I immediately let go and back away from him ,"Oh, sorry I guess I got a little too emotional."

"Thank you and I forgive you." Zane replies.

That night I slept in the hospital room with Zane. The nurse tried to get me to leave, but I couldn't leave Zane's side while he was injured. Jett returned hope and the sound of the many heart monitors echoing through the pokemon center put me to sleep.


	4. Only Time Will Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The more Ruby thinks of Zane, the more she questions her self and what her end goal truly is. Ruby finally realizes the actual feelings she has for Zane. But what does Zane think of her?

* * *

 

 

(Ruby's POV)

_(Santalune City *Pokemon Center*)_

[9:30 am]

I wake up in the hospital room where I fell asleep with Zane still in the hospital bed. The furniture I was sleeping on wasn't exactly comfortable. So when I woke up, I had a huge pain in my backside. I began thinking about what had happened the other night. Zane accepted my apology and I have erased my family from my mind forever. But what was weird was when Zane told me to never call him master but to call him friend. It felt like he looked at me as an equal. Like another person. But I didn't know how to feel about it. The question was on my mind for a little bit. But then it drifted off to other subjects about Zane. How he was so brave and courageous when those bunnelby attacked.  **He didn't care about himself at all. The only thing he cared about was my safety. But I guess that's because he is protective with the ones he cares about. But does that mean he really cares about me? It can mean he cares about me in general or it can mean he cares about me in affection.** I then begin thinking about that last word "affection".  **Does he care about me in that way? Oh, what if he does. Would that actually work out for us. I guess I like him. He's strong, gentle, brave, but he is a little stubborn. And he's... handsome. What am I saying? I've only known him for a few days. It would be impossible if me and him were... Together.** **Together as a couple...**

I then realized how cold it was in the room. I look around for something to drape over me to keep me warm. I found a blanket across from me. I guess the nurse left that for me last night. I take it, cuddling on to it. and look back to Zane. He didn't have anything on him except the hospital gown. I drape the blanket over him and stare at him for a couple of seconds. I hugged him while he was asleep. My paws began to roam his chest stroking his sides gently and avoiding the bruises. He had such a well-sculptured body for being fifteen. I began thinking about him without a shirt on and fully healed.  **Why am I thinking about that?** I started to blush while thinking about Zane some more.

He was so calm and collected while he slept.  **It would be impossible. For me and him to be together. So I should just drop it before it grows into something more. People would criticize us. Humans are messed up in a way, but not Zane. People think of pokemon as tools to help better their lives. But Zane thinks of me as one of his best friends. He wouldn't trade me for everything in the world.** **People definitely don't make pokemon their boyfriend or girlfriend. But there's always that maybe when it comes to Zane. Maybe he does love me in that way.**

My concentration was interrupted when the nurse walked in and saw me hugging Zane comfortably and said ,"Oh sorry, do you need a minute with him?" She was surprised by me hugging Zane like I was.

I replied to her ,"No it's okay. Is there something you need?" The nurse just smiled and walked in.

"I can tell your having some 'personal' issues..." She continued ,"And I bet you really care about him."

I turn my head over to her and say ,"How do you know?"

She giggled and commented ,"I can just tell by the way you look at him. Look, honey, I have studied psychology for three years in high school. Nothing gets past me." I sigh and slightly glance at Zane.

"I don't know... I don't know. I'm confused. I don't know if I like him."

The nurse put her hands over my shoulders and turned me around to face her ,"Listen... Only time will tell. The more time you spend with him will reveal the truth. You just have to follow your heart. Whether or not he likes you is a different case all together. I certainly don't know of any cases where a person falls in love with his or her pokemon. But just listen. What does your heart tell you to do? You won't see me judging you on your choose. Neither will I judge him. Your love choose is not something anyone should criticize about." She continued her therapy ,"But I know for sure that he does love you. But not exactly. I think he's just oblivious about it. But it's definitely there." I was happy that she shed some light on this subject. I was a little insecure about it.

"Thank you so much... uh... nurse Joy." I saw her name tag on her uniform. "But I don't understand, why are you helping me?" I replied.

"Glad to be of service. I just see something in you that says you have been through some tough times in your life. You need some guidance. So far you have been lost in darkness not knowing which way to go. Your confused and you need some light to find your way in life. And when the time is right you will know what do. Whether or not you do love him is your choose." And just before she left the room she replied ,"Oh and another thing! You can't keep this a secret for very long. If you love him you have to tell him about it and work things through. I'm sure he is experiencing the same problem too. But then comes the problem with his parents. That one is gonna be a real doozy. I'm not sure what will happen there. But again you can't keep it a secret from them either."

And after she said that, she left the room and me and Zane were alone once again.

* * *

(Zane's POV)

(Santalune City *Pokemon Center*)

[9:40 am]

I wake up and remember where I was. I was laying in the hospital bed. Beaten to hell by a bunch of bunnelby. Now if that doesn't destroy your dignity, I don't know what does. I then hear Ruby's beautiful giggly voice ,"Zane! You're awake." Ruby crashed on to me with a hug. "Whoa okay. You certainly like your hugs." I could feel the white fur on her neck. Her fur was so soft. It was as soft as an angels touch. Her scarlet eyes were so pretty and full joy.  **What am I saying? Am I saying that she is attractive to me? This is all insane anyway. Me falling in love with Ruby. I wonder how she would feel about that. Would it make our friendship awkward if I just went out and said I liked her?** These questions filled my head as I examined her. She was way different now that she is a braixen. She went from a little fox pokemon to a pretty, human-like, fox pokemon.  **Well, it's not like I haven't asked myself this question. I was asking myself the same question just yesterday. Do I like her?**

"I got confirmation from the nurse that you can leave today if you want to." Ruby said as she gave me a cute little smile.

"Well okay, I guess." I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to leave the pokemon center in my condition. But I guess Ruby wanted to leave.

"Oh, but she did say that you can't run for a month. And you have to take it easy when you lay down to go to sleep. Remember you have two fractured ribs. And you have to change the gauze every two days. Oh and-" I interrupted her repetitive speech

"Okay, I get it," I say with a chuckle. "I'll be fine. Because I have the cutest braixen to take care of me." This compliment made her blush a little.  **Dammit does my mouth all of a sudden have a mind of its own. The same thing happened yesterday when I was shielding Ruby.**

"Well okay. So let's leave and go to Jett's house." She says happily trying to pull my arm to get me up.

"Okay, okay I'm getting up." I lift myself off the bed and go over with Ruby to check out.

* * *

(Zane's POV)

_(Santalune City *Jett's House*)_

[10:03 am]

We arrive at Jett's house and see that Mom, Dad, and Annabelle were all there. It was a huge surprise. They all saw me when I opened Jett's door with the extra key he gave me. And instantly I was bombarded with questions and death hugs. Asking me if I was alright or what happened. As if Jett hasn't already told them about the event. Mom exclaimed ,"When Jett told us there was an incident we came over as fast as we could!" And Annabelle was hugging my very existence out of me.

"Everybody calm down! I'm fine." and my family looked relieved to hear it. I explain to them about the event that happened yesterday with the attack and introduced them to Ruby. They all shake her hand or paw and tell her she has a wonderful trainer at her side and tell her she was so pretty. I think to myself  **Well at least I'm not the only one who thinks she's pretty.**

And that's when Ruby said ,"It's great to meet you too and thank you!"

They all pause at once with dumbfounded faces and shock. My mom spoke up first ,"Zane. Is it me, or did Ruby just speak?"

I reply ,"Yes, she spoke... She can speak just like you and me."

She was in even bigger shock than before. Her jaw looked like it was about to drop. "So you're telling me she can speak and I'm not going crazy."

I let out a long sigh and sat down on the couch ,"No you aren't going crazy... She can speak." Annoyed by the fact that I have been asked this question a million times I look off into space. After a long silence of awkwardness, I speak up ,"Look don't ask me how she can. I just know that she can, end of story." All three of them look at me and start taking in this information.

"Okay so anyways," Jett walked into the conversation ,"The nurse was okay with you leaving the pokemon center?"

"Yeah... " Another long silence followed. This was getting annoying.

Then my sister spoke up ,"So what happened again?"

"Ruby and I were attacked by an angry nest of bunnelby while we were training. She was really scared and helpless so I shielded her from all of them. So I got the shit kicked out of me. But then Ruby evolved and avenged me by setting them all on fire at once." I summed up what had happened as well as I could.

And mom just bursts into tears ,"Oh Zane! You're the bravest, courageous, and selfless son a mother could ever have." She flung her arms and gave me another death hug. But before she did I reminded her about the fractured bones.

We all talked about the event and examined my injuries as if I was an anatomy to experiment on. And of course, where would I be if Annabelle didn't pick on me in private about me being together with Ruby. I forgot how Annabelle did the same thing Jett did. I just laughed nervously and shrugged it off.  **Oh boy, what would happen if Ruby and I really were in a relationship? It doesn't really seem all that bad though. I mean she isn't any ordinary pokemon. But would that still make it okay? She can speak like me. She acts like a person.** And that's when I start to wonder  **Wait if she didn't have a voice, would she still be the same? But wouldn't that mean that all pokemon are like that? I never really thought about it before. Are all pokemon this sentient? Maybe Ruby having a voice has shed some light on how alike we are with pokemon. But there is also the chance that only she is like this and no other pokemon.**

I went upstairs to Jett's room to once again set up the sleeping bags.  **I really hope Ruby doesn't ask to sleep with me again. There will be no end to Jett and his jokes.**  After I was done I walk downstairs and turned the corner to come face to face with Ruby."Oh, hey there!" She chirped happily. "Your family seems really nice. Especially your sister. I really enjoy talking to another girl for once."

I smiled at her and said ,"Yeah she has always been that nice to me too even though she's three years older than me." I continued ,"I don't know where I would be without her."

She threw her arms around my shoulders sobbing into my chest. I was confused for a second. "Was there something I said?"

She replied ,"No it's just it's been so long since I have seen my mom and dad I can't even remember what they were like. And your parents just reminded me so much of my own." I embrace her with a hug back.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. Losing your family. I don't even know what I would do if I lost them. I have looked up to my sister forever. She was a trainer too about five years ago. But she said she had some 'issues' with her pokemon so she just quit. She never told me what kind of problems." I squeeze her tightly to my chest ,"You can be a part of us if you really want to." This made her cry even more and we just stood there hugging each other.

"Thank you, Zane. Thank you so much for helping me. It's been so hard trying to make myself forget about my parents. It just feels like I have a hole inside me where my parents used to be. Your parents made me remember mine. I remember their warm hugs. I remember being so close to them I could hear their heartbeats. And your sweet family brought all those memories back." She tries to collect herself and backs away from me a little, but we were still really close to each other.  **Wow, I didn't really think talking to my parents would impact her so much.** She continued ,"I don't know if you knew, but my family disappeared five years ago. Five years I spent looking for them trying to reunite myself with them. But the more time I spent looking, the more I began telling myself that they weren't alive anymore. But five years later I meet you in the lab. And I tell myself maybe he will be my ticket to finding them. But the lie was just too much to keep to myself. The guilt weighed me down. The fact that you didn't know about this was too much. It felt like I was hurting you without you even noticing. The time I spent with you just made my separation from my family even worse. It made my longing for my family unbearable. And then I just had to let go of them. I just had to accept that I will never see them again. And then just now I met  _your_  family. I told myself maybe my parents haven't left me forever after all. It's like I got a brand new set. I don't ever have to worry about my old ones ever again because it felt like they were right in front of me."

"I was just about to go to the bathroom to cry myself away but you comforted me before I could. You helped me vent a little. Thank you, Zane. You're the best." She said as she hugged me again. At that moment I felt something tugging on me but not physically. Like emotionally. But the tugging felt like it was in my chest. Like a string attached to my heart. I began thinking  **What is this feeling?** I act like it's not there and ignore it.

* * *

One Week Later

(Zane's POV)

_(Lumiose City)_

[12:00 pm]

Ruby and I stroll through Lumiose City reminiscing about the time I got her as a fennekin. We walk through the city looking at different stores and places to eat. The ginormous tower in the middle of the city was visible from where we were. There were kids playing happily in the street. Delicious smells were spewing out of restaurants. Couples were spending time with each other. I then notice something was missing.

"Hey, where did The Pyroar's Den go?" As I look around trying to find the restaurant where I stood up for Ruby. And then I hear a familiar voice behind me.

"Oh, they went out of business." I jump at first but then turn around to see the bike owner.

"Whoa, long time no see." I reply to him remembering him from last time we met at the restaurant. "What happened?"

"Yeah well you see there was another case similar to yours where they were concerned because their pokemon couldn't eat with them." He continued ,"And then their ratings went from a four-star restaurant to no stars. No one wanted to go anymore due to their discrimination against pokemon."

Ruby walks into the conversation ,"Serves them right if you ask me." The old bike owner looked at my side to see Ruby's new form.

"Oh looks like you grew an inch or two!" He laughed from the dry humor.

"Say, I never got your name from before" I asked him.

"It's Daniel! But most people just call me Dan." He smiled

"I'm Zane and this is Ruby, it was nice meeting you again."

But just before I was going to leave he told me ,"Hey I just thought you should know there's a pokemon clothes store right across from my store. I think she would love to go there."

"Can we go?" I look at Ruby who had a twinkle in her eye.

"Of course we'll go there Ruby why would we not." She gave me a quick hug and a little kiss on the cheek which surprised me greatly.

"hehehe." She giggled as she skipped ahead of me.

* * *

(Zane's POV)

_(Lumiose City *The Wardrobe*)_

[12:17 pm]

We stopped in front of a colorful store full of different sizes, colors, and shapes of clothes and sign above saying "The Wardrobe" in cursive writing. We walk and are greeted by the cashier.

"Hello! Welcome to The Wardrobe! Is this your first time here?"

I reply "Yes it is. And Ruby here would love to check out some clothes."

"Great! Her size and type of clothes will be at the back left corner." The cashier commented while pointing in the direction.

We walk over and see a huge assortment of clothes. There was a boy's and girl's side in the shop. The girl's side being on the left and the boy's side being on the right. There were different sections of the sides where clothes for bipedal pokemon and clothes for quadrupedal pokemon. Of course Ruby was bipedal so we looked through that section. There were many sizes of the same clothes and colors. Ruby was comparable to a human size so I found her a size of a skirt that looked like it would fit. It was blood red with black trimming on the bottom of the skirt. I also found a matching bow tie that she can put on her chest. The skirt wasn't exactly a skirt though. I was almost like someone took the bottom half of a dress and made it into a skirt. She tried on everything that I had picked out. She looked so adorable. She really liked them too and we went to the cash register to purchase everything. Of course, I had to carry everything while she skipped beside me.

"So where to next?" I ask Ruby where we should go. And then an idea crossed my mind ,"I know what to do! Let's go get some ice cream! You have never had ice cream before have you?"

She looked at me and said ,"What's ice cream?"

I laugh at the fact that she didn't know what ice cream was. And we made our way to the ice cream cart. I request the man behind the cart ,"Two single scoop cones please." and I added ,"oh and Uhh... Both vanilla."

"You got it." I watch as he gets the metal scooper and finds the vanilla canister and takes two cones and combines them with the ice cream. He gave me the two ice cream cones and I paid him. We walk over to a bench to sit on it.

I gave Ruby her cone and started to lick mine. She looked at it with confusion but began to do the same thing with her's. She was surprised by the taste.

"Let me guess... It's the best thing you have ever tasted?" I smile and laugh as she devours it. And when she was done with her cone her face was hilarious.

Her maw was covered in ice cream and her paws were too. I laughed so hard I thought I would pop.

"What's so funny?!" I take a napkin out of my backpack and start wiping away the ice cream.

"You had ice cream all over your face... You should've seen it." We both had a good laugh and settled down. And then she laid her head on my shoulder. And then she said something I don't think I could ever forget.

"Zane I love spending time with you... I have something to say to you but I'm not sure if I can do it. It's been on my mind for a long time now. And I just can't hold back from it anymore. I'm not sure if you feel the same way but..." There was a long silence and then she breathe in and out. "Zane... I lo-" And then at that moment I hear the same static I heard over a week ago when I left Lumiose City. But this time it was loud. It was eerie. And just like that my nose started to bleed. "Oh my god what is that sound?" I became light headed but didn't faint. Ruby looked concerned

"Zane are you okay? Do I need to take you to the hospital?" She looked really concerned. "No I'm fine..." But after I said that I lose consciousness.

* * *

(Ruby's POV)

_(Lumiose City *hospital*)_

[2:37 pm]

**Dammit. Right when we leave a hospital Zane has to end up in another. And it has to happen right when I'm about to confess to him. His nose just started to bleed and then he fainted.**  This hospital was a little more prepared for humans than the pokemon center was. I waited about thirty minutes waiting for the nurse to tell me whats wrong.

She calls me out of the waiting room to come see her and Zane. I walk down the hall beside her hoping it's not anything bad. We walk into the room and Zane was sitting up on the bed and completely fine. I threw myself at him embracing him in a hug.

"Hey there Ruby..." He was stroking my ears comforting me telling me he was okay. And the nurse broke us up to tell us what happened.

"Okay, so, we have no idea what had happened. There's not enough evidence to figure out the problem. All Zane knows is that he heard a really eerie sound and his nose started to bleed. We can't link that to any illness whatsoever. But the bad part is if he continues to have these nose bleeds and hears this eerie noise it can become a potential cancer hazard. I saw that Zane didn't like the sound of that. He looked concerned for himself.

"Well, we'll let you know right away if this keeps happening." The nurse smiled and glanced at me.

"As long as you stay in the city limits close to the hospital. And if he doesn't have any of these symptoms in a week he will be free to leave the city."

I was relieved it isn't anything serious that they know of. "Don't worry we will find the closest motel room. Right, Zane?" I say as I nudged his arm.

"Oh... Yeah... Right." He was flustered for a second

"Zane whats wrong?"

"Oh, nothing I'm just thinking about what you were going to say to me before this happened."

I knew I was blushing heavily and replied ,"Ohhhh... Uhh... Haha, nothing. I wasn't going to say anything"

He looked at me with doubt but just shrugged it off.

"I remembered what I was about to tell him before he fainted. Maybe it's fate telling me that it's not time yet. It's not time to fess up. I need to spend more time with him before I throw that statement at him."

It was half-past seven when they finally released us. The nurse wanted to do another check up to see if she could find anything else wrong with him. But he was as healthy as a rapidash.

We found a cheap motel that was actually in pretty good condition. And we settled there. There was only one bed and we had to share it. Zane wasn't bothered by it though. Neither was I. After watching some news on TV about a missing person case we turned it off and went to sleep.

I then snuggled up close to him and he didn't object at all. Maybe because we have been doing it for three days. We fall asleep letting the sandman visit us once again.


	5. Roses and Rubies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month has passed by but Ruby has kept her feelings from Zane all this time. She has no idea if the feeling is mutual. how will this impossible relationship

Chapter 5: Roses and Rubies

One Month Later

(Ruby's POV)

_(Snowbelle City)_

[9:13 pm]

Zane and I were strolling through Snowbelle City. Zane had given me his blue scarf for me to wear which I took a liking to. He told me that it's really warm and that your supposed to wrap it around your neck. He wasn't lying when he said it was warm. I also had a custom sweater on. Zane had a pitch black hoodie and blue jeans on. The city was gorgeous. There were decorations everywhere and the trees were covered in lights too. The trees also had round objects attached to various branches. And beautiful stars were attached to the tops of the pine trees. There was a long canopy of different colored lights above us and there were lights on the houses that were arranged in different patterns. It kind of felt romantic seeing as how I wrapped myself around Zane's arm. He didn't seem to mind at all. Maybe he liked me there.

I spoke up ,"Why are there decorations everywhere?"

He gave me a glance and explained the phenomenon ,"Well you see, Christmas is almost here."

"What is Christmas?" I slightly turn my head trying to look as cute as possible to get him to notice. But of course it failed. I guess it didn't occur to him that his braixen had a high school crush on him.

He looked surprised after my statement and he tried to summarize ,"Christmas is a holiday people celebrate. It is a time of love, peace, and tranquility. Some people say it's the one holiday where war doesn't exist for a day. On Christmas day people exchange gifts and get together to celebrate the holiday. And Christmas Eve is when couples usually go on dates and enjoy each other's company. It's my favorite time of the year too. When I was little me and Annabelle would set up the lights every year. Yeah those were the good times. Oh and people decorate trees with lights and ornaments and put a star at the top. Annabelle and I would take turns every year putting the star at the top of the tree and decorate it. I wish I could relive those times again. Those are my dearest memories of my childhood." He stared off into space reminiscing. "One time me and Jett built this huge igloo and slept in it for a night. It was actually pretty warm surprisingly."

I hug his arm tighter and laid my head on his shoulder. I stared him in the eyes admiring the silver-gray color. His charcoal black hair gleamed in the light. He was so handsome.  **Was this the moment to tell him? Is it time to tell Zane how I felt about him? Maybe it is. But I'm so afraid to admit it to him. What if he doesn't have the same feelings towards me. But this setting we are in is so perfect. It's so romantic. I might not have the same opportunity ever again. You know what, screw it.** I clear my throat to get his attention ,"Ahem... Zane."

He glances at me ,"Yeah."

"You see I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now. And it means a lot to me that you give me a straight answer." I pause for a little bit so that he could keep up.

We stop walking and stood there. "What is it?" He asks me confusingly. I shifted around uncomfortably.

(Zane's POV)

**Wait she isn't going to tell me what I think she's about to tell me. Is she? Well this is a pretty romantic spot. Does she love me? I've had my suspicions. She really likes to cuddle on to me when we sleep. And when we're alone together she clings on like a vine. Is she going to confess. What if I'm over exaggerating a little. Maybe she isn't, maybe she has something else on her mind. But part of me wants her to confess. Why though?** I think about the question.  **Do I love her too? She's smart, cheerful, compassionate, thankful, and... cute... Her eyes are so gorgeous and her fur is so soft.**  This isn't the first time I thought about her this way. I've been thinking about her lately... I've been thinking about us being together. **I love her personality. Always so bright and witty and happy and giggly. There's never a dull moment when she's around. I have been like this for I don't know how long.** And then I realized what I was feeling a month ago. **During that moment when my family was at Jett's, when me and Ruby were talking in private. When she told me how much my parents reminded her of her own. I felt so sorry for her. I told myself there's no way I could go through the same shit she has gone through. Being lost, separated from your family for two whole years. It sounds unbearable. I love my parents so much. I don't know what I do without them for that long. And then that's when I felt that sudden tug in my chest. Was that tugging feeling love? Well when she told me what had happened to her two years ago, I _wanted_  to comfort her. I wanted to repair the hole that was inside her. **I think it over and came to a conclusion.  **I do love her. I love the way she's always so happy. I love how smart she is. I love the way she cuddles on to me every night. I love the way she clings on to me when we're alone. I love the way she can make a funeral seem happy and fun. I love how compassionate she is, anytime I get myself hurt she's always there for me. I love her soft fur. I love the color of her eyes. I love everything about her.** And then I remember one small detail in the matter.  **But what would Mom and Dad say? I already know neither Annabelle or Jett care. But What will Mom say? Would she oppose my decision for loving Ruby, a pokemon? I have never heard of anyone ever falling in love with their pokemon. But this all hinges on the theory that Ruby loves me too. What if she doesn't.**

"Well you see I..." She spoke up and broke me out of my focus.  **Is this the time? Is she going to tell me she loves me?**

"Zane I-" She is interrupted when someone throws a snowball at me from behind. I turn around to see where it came from and then see a familiar face.

"Hey! Long time no see bro!" It was Jett! I didn't expect to see him all the way out here.

"Whoa! Yeah, no kidding! How have you been doing?" I ask as I walk over to him.

"Well I've been doing pretty fine." He replied and then continued ,"But hey you haven't been over for more than a month."

I remember the promise I made when we were ten years old. together we made a promise that one of us  _absolutely_  has to visit the other in at least one month. No if, and's, or but's. "You're still holding me against that?"

"Of course! Why would I not. We even spat on it too." He gave me a smirk and I replied

"Dude we were like ten when that happened."

He smiled and laughed ,"Yeah but you don't remember the contract?" I chuckled and commented

"You mean the one made out of legos because we couldn't find any paper to write the contract on? How could I ever forget?" We both laughed remembering our childhood we spent together.

Jett then notices Ruby behind us and invites her over ,"Hey Ruby! Come over here so I can see how much you have grown over the month!"

Ruby slowly walks over to us and it looked like there was something wrong. "Hey Ruby is there something wrong? Are you too cold?"

"No I'm fine..." And then I remember what was going on before Jett came into the conversation. But I didn't want to pressure her in front of Jett,  _if_  that's what she was going to say to me. **I will have to be the one to tell her. I have to be the one to tell her that I love her.**   **But not right now. I'm going to have to surprise her with it in private. But I'm not sure where. I'm not gonna do it in a bedroom. That would totally send the wrong message. I'm not exactly ready to do that yet. And I definitely can't do it in public. That would make things awkward. I'll find a place.** **But there's still that problem I have with Mom and Dad.** **But in the meantime, looks like we got a friend to spend time with here in Snowbelle City and his name is Jett.**

"So have you beaten the gym leader already?" I turn back to Jett. And remember the whole reason for coming on this journey.

"Yeah about that... You see I have lost complete interest in that. I don't care about being the pokemon champion. I just want to travel the region with Ruby."

"Well okay then. Whatever floats your boat I guess." He said as he looked off into the distance. And glanced at me with a smile ,"Ya'know there's a special event tomorrow at Lumiose City... I think you and Ruby should go."

"What is the event?" I ask with curiosity.

"It's called the Christmas Festival." He explained ,"There's gonna be food, rides, dancing, and really cool games."

I look at him confused ,"Wait... So why do you think Ruby and I should go?" He put on a sinister smile

"C'mon man... You really think I'm not aware. The jig is up dude."

I look at him confused and say ,"Aware of what? I have no clue."

He was nudging me with his elbow ,"You know what I'm talking about. Ya'know..."

"No I don't know, what the hell are you talking about." He face-palmed himself. Jett leaned in to whisper something to me so that Ruby wouldn't hear.  **Oh shit this isn't what I think it is, is it?**

"You have a crush on Ruby don't you?" He leaned back and just smiled.

I stuttered ,"Well... Uh..." He then laughed so hard he sounded like a dying hippowdon.

"You hesitated! I knew it! But don't worry your secret is safe with me." My entire face was blushing and he just put on the most innocent smile he could. Ruby was confused as to what we were talking about.

"Ummm... What are you guys talking about?" She had slightly turned her head in confusion.

"Ohhhh... Uhhhh... yeah it's a secret... hehehe..."  **Oh Yeah,**   **That didn't sound suspicious at all.**

Jett spoke up ,"Yeah it's like top secret." He nudged my shoulder and I playfully punch him in the arm.

She just smiled and rolled her eyes ,"Whatever you say."

Jett whispered to me again ,"Look, I understand why you like her. But just make sure you don't beat the living shit out of anyone who criticizes you. And I think you should tell her at the Christmas Festival that you love her." He slowly backed away from me and then said ,"Well I got to get back home. Mom is wanting me home before the day after tomorrow."

I look back at Jett and ask ,"Oh yeah I forgot to ask you why are you all the way out here in Snowbelle City?"

"I was surveying the pokemon around here. This is what my parents do for their job and professors pay them big money to do it. So I'm just following in their footsteps." He turned around like he was about to leave and he waved his hand ,"So I better get going. See you later. Oh and don't forget what we just talked about alright." He said as he winked his left eye. And he walked off into the distance.  **The Christmas Festival, huh. Oh we'll be there. I can't wait. I can't wait to tell her how I feel and get it off my chest.** We continue our stroll down the road and Ruby clung on to me like she always did. She was silent the rest of the time.  **I'm glad I gave her my blue scarf and got her the hot pink custom sweater. She looked so cute in the outfit. You know what? She can keep the scarf.**  We find a nearby motel to sleep in and check in.

when we went to bed she snuggled up to me closer than ever before.  **Maybe she does love me in return.**

* * *

The Next Day

(Ruby's POV)

_(Lumiose City *Christmas Festival*)_

[7:38 pm]

The entire city  _was_  the festival. There were children playing in the streets. There were couples loving on each other and families enjoying each other's company. I could see food stands, carnival games, and rides that were set up at the outskirts of the city. It was beautiful to say the least. decorations covered every street in the city and the games and food stands littered the sidewalks. All stores and restaurants weren't open. There was a huge dance floor and stage in Magenta Plaza. Prism tower had a Christmas tree design with lights wrapped around it. There was a gorgeous golden star at the top as well. In the game booths there were prizes like plushies and bouncy balls. In the food stands they were selling various fried foods like fried bacon. Some were even selling fried lemonade.  **I wonder how your supposed to fry a liquid.** I was wearing the same clothes I was wearing in Snowbelle City. I really love the scarf that Zane had gifted me after we left Snowbelle City. He said blue fits me well. Zane on the other hand was wearing a yellow and red long-sleeve tee with gray pants. It was really cold so I hug Zane's arm like I usually do. I forgot that we were in a heavily populated area so it was a little awkward when I noticed people staring. So I ease off a little bit. Zane didn't seem to notice, he just kept walking.

"Hey let's do something... let's go play a game." I spoke up to break the silence Zane and I were in.

He replied ,"Okay sure! Pick whatever game you want to play." I scan the street looking for a carnival game that looked fun and I spot a dart throwing game.

"That dart throwing game looks fun! Let's go over there." I tried to ignore the people that were still staring at us and gossiping but they just stuck out like a sore thumb. We walk up to the stand with balloons attached to a wall.

"How much for three shots?" Zane asked the man that was managing the game.

"20 pokedollars." The man commented.

"Damn overpriced carnival games... But whatever I'll get three shots I guess." The man takes three darts from underneath the counter and hands them over to Zane. Zane gives me two and left himself one.

"One for me and two for you." He remarked after I received the darts. Zane took a shot and popped one of the balloons ,"Alright! Score! You go Ruby, it's easy." I line up my shot and throw the dart. But I only hit the wall.

"Awww..."

Zane rubbed my head and said ,"It's okay you still got another shot!" Zane was so confident and always believed in me. That's another thing I like about him. I remember the second dart he had given me. I line up the shot again and throw the second dart. Pop! I hit one of the balloons on the wall.

"Yes I hit one!"

"Great job Ru! I knew you could do it!" He told me as he hugged me. The man looked surprised at this action but just shrugged it off.

"You can choose any prize at all from here." The man pointed to a section of prizes. There were small, medium, and large prizes. So since we got two hits we got to choose from the medium section. There were mostly plushies. I saw a fennekin plushy and thought how hilarious it would be to choose that one. So I point to the fennekin plushy.

Zane bursts out with laughter ,"How did I know you were going to pick that one?" The man gives me the plushy and we continue our stroll through the festival.

As we walk down Estival Avenue we see the dance floor in Magenta Plaza and I immediately wanted to go over and dance with Zane.

"Hey! I have an idea let's go to the dance floor over there!"

Zane stuttered ,"Oh... Uhh Sure." We make our way to Magenta Plaza and a musician had just finished playing a song.

Zane replied ,"So you want to dance? Well I'll have you know my mom actually taught me how to dance in case one of these scenarios came up. But it looks like the performer is taking a break for now. So let's wait." About five minutes pass and a completely different performer comes out. A piano is rolled onto the stage and begins playing a soft a repetitive tune in harmony. Zane and I walk onto the dance floor. My heart was pounding.  **What if I mess up?**

But Zane took all my worries away when he says ,"Just follow my lead and you will be fine." He guides my paws on where to go. He puts my left paw on his shoulder and my right paw in his left hand. He put his right hand on my waist which surprised me a little. A few moments later The woman in a scarlet silk dress starts to sing with a beautiful tone.

"All along it was a fever  
A cold sweat hot-headed believer  
I threw my hands in the air, said, "Show me something"  
He said, "If you dare, come a little closer"  
Round and around and around and around we go  
Oh now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know"

We dance to the beat of the song. It was so smooth and pleasant to hear. I already knew we were getting weird looks from everyone but ignored them. And so the woman continued.

"Not really sure how to feel about it  
Something in the way you move  
Makes me feel like I can't live without you  
It takes me all the way  
I want you to stay  
It's not much of a life you're living  
It's not just something you take it's given"

A man had joined in along side the woman. Together they sung. Zane twirled my body around and more and more people started to notice us. And to my shock they started to cheer for us.

"Not really sure how to feel about it  
Something in the way you move  
Makes me feel like I can't live without you  
It takes me all the way  
I want you to stay

Ooh, ooh, ooh, the reason I hold on  
Ooh, ooh, ooh, 'cause I need this hole gone  
Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving  
'Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving"

Dancing with Zane felt so amazing. It felt like I was on cloud nine. The two performers sung in perfect synchronization and harmony. People started to gather in the dozens to watch me and Zane dance the night away. But the song that they were singing felt like it meant something. Like Zane and I were meant to dance to it.

"Not really sure how to feel about it  
Something in the way you move  
Makes me feel like I can't live without you  
It takes me all the way  
I want you to stay, stay  
I want you to stay, hooh"

The song had ended and the dance floor was completely empty except for me and Zane. There was a little bit of a silence when the song was finished. And everyone that was spectating us started to cheer and roared at us. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I heard people yelling out "that was awesome!" And ,"Bravo!" Even the performers went over to us to tell us how well we did. No, it didn't feel like I was on cloud nine, the feeling was incomprehensible. There was no word to explain how happy and joyful I was. To dance with Zane like that was amazing by itself.  **I love him with every ounce of passion in me. But I'm just not sure that he does too.** I then hug Zane as tight as possible and he hugs me back. The entire crowd goes ,"Awwww."  **Wow no one said anything negative at all.**

I look up to Zane and say ,"Thank you so much for tonight. Now let's go ride something."

He gave me a warm smile and said ,"Okay then, I think I have the perfect ride in mind. The Ferris wheel!"

We exited Magenta Plaza still hearing the cheers of the crowd.

* * *

(Zane's POV)

_(Lumiose City *Christmas Festival*)_

[9:03 pm]

**Dancing with Ruby was the best feeling I have ever experienced in my life. And it made that moment even better when the crowd cheered for us. They even cleared the dance floor for us. But what really surprised me was that no one said anything negative about it. I mean you'd think me dancing with Ruby like that would be suspicious. We danced so passionately. But it doesn't matter now. Because when we get to the top of the Ferris wheel I'm going to confess to Ruby. How much I love her. But all I can hope for is that she does too.**

We make our way closer to the ride weaving in and out of the huge street crowd. And when we arrive I notice how short the line is and quickly ran over to save our spot. A few moments later of waiting we enter one of the gondolas. It takes us a little bit to finally get to the top. And thats when it happened. There was a firework show for the whole festival. And Ruby and I got to see it at the top of the Ferris wheel. This felt like the most romantic moment in history. Just me and Ruby alone at the top of a Ferris wheel watching a firework show.

I break the silence ,"This is amazing isn't it..." I shift awkwardly.

"Yeah, it is. I've never seen anything like it in my life." She laid her head on my shoulder making things even better.

 **Alright suck it up. It's time to fess up. Tell her how you feel.** I take a deep breathe in and out. And I turn my head over to her ,"Ruby."

"Yes? What is it?" She took her head away and sat up straight.

"You see I have been meaning to tell you something for awhile now and I just think this is the perfect time to do so."

She looks at me surprised and says ,"Really? because I do too."

 **She does? Right now?** "You should go first then."

She clears her throat ,"Well okay then... Well it really means a lot to me. And I have had this on my mind for more than a month and I just couldn't say it until now. And I just really need to get this off my chest. So I guess I should finally just let it out." I become really curious as to what she is about to say  **Is this it? Is this the moment of truth? Is it finally time?** The firework show was still going making this moment the greatest moment in my life. "You see what I'm trying to say is... Zane... I love you..."

I thought my heart was going to explode. All this suspension has finally led up to this moment. This moment that will change my life forever. I know I will go through hard ache and criticism, but I'll do anything if it means I will get to spend my life with her. I lean in closer and closer to her face until my lips are touching Ruby's and we experience a truly loving and passionate kiss.  **Is this what heaven feels like? Your first kiss with the person that you love the most.** My hands went to her waist and her paws went to my shoulders. After what had seemed like a millennia we finally broke the kiss.

"I love you too Ruby. I love you with every ounce of passion in my soul. And I don't care what people will think of us. As long as I have you with me. I will protect you and will love you forever." She was crying tears of joy.

"Zane... I'm speechless... I have nothing to say. All I can tell you is how much I love you." I wipe away her tears and give her the biggest hug I could give her.

"Times are going to get tough but we have to stay strong and never let anyone separate us." I tell her as she cries into my chest. "I love you so much, words can not describe it."

When we got to the motel we were staying at, we were so exhausted from the Christmas Festival. And when we went to sleep I cuddled Ruby the same way she always did to me. Her fur was so soft and she was so warm. And we went to sleep to the sounds of Christmas bells ringing in the air. I will never forget today. December 22.

* * *

 

**Songwriters: John Stephen Sudduth / Justin Parker / Mikky Ekko**

**Stay lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC**

**Also known as "I don't own this song and it belongs to them, I have nothing to do with making it."**


	6. Zane's Lament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the festival, Zane hesitantly goes back to Vaniville Town to tell his family of the shocking news. Even though he expected to be disowned, to his surprise, he's excepted for who he is. But he also learns of an equally shocking secret. He continues to travel through the region despite not being a trainer anymore. But just before he leaves Santalune City, he's alerted of a tragedy that will never be undone.

* * *

 

 

Chapter 6: Zane's Lament

(Zane's POV)

_(Route 1)_

[2:39 pm]

Ruby and I were walking down route 1 getting closer and closer to home. I started to get nervous.  **What are they going to say? How are they going to react? What if they all hate me for it? What if they don't except Ruby?** I look at Ruby and stare into her beautiful crimson eyes in wonder.  **Well, it doesn't matter what they say. I will love Ruby forever even if they tell me to leave and never return. I will never stop loving her and no one can deprive me the right to do so. I know it's not exactly something people do normally but Ruby is a special case. And when there is a special case it needs to be approached with special needs. Ruby deserves the same rights as humans do. But then again maybe all pokemon are as sentient as humans. And it's a big world out there, maybe Ruby isn't the only one who can speak. What then? Will there be a time when pokemon are treated the same as humans? I know a really long time ago people used to marry pokemon. Will that era be reborn someday?** We were getting closer and closer to the answer as we walked the path of truth. Getting closer to the place I lived my life almost every day. The questions that were popping up in my head were starting to make me uneasy.

But my the nervous vibe I was emitting shattered as Ruby spoke up ,"Don't worry Zane. I'm sure everything will be fine. Just know that whatever they say I will still love you."  **Well, at least she agrees.**  I give her a big hug and a peck on her lips.I was really happy about one thing though. Today was Christmas Eve, and I was going to spend it loving Ruby.

_(Vaniville Town *Zane's house*)_

[2:45 pm]

I walk up to the front door of the house I spent my childhood in and hesitantly ring the doorbell. We wait for a moment and are greeted by Annabelle.

"Zane! We didn't expect you to be coming over. We thought you were going to be busy training to get into the Pokemon League." She told me in a surprised tone.

I chuckled at the statement and replied ,"Yeah I lost interest after the third gym. It just wasn't right for me. But I'm not sure what I'll do then." I looked off into the distance trying to make up a plan of confession. I thought  **Well I guess I'm going to have to tell them straight up. But I'll need them all in one place.** I spoke up ,"Are Mom and Dad here?"

"Yeah come on in." She replied. And then I noticed something.

"Ruby has never been here before." I smiled back at Ruby. As we entered my house. "Annabelle. There's something I need to tell all three of you," I hesitated for a second ," and I need to get it off my chest. It's important."

"Okay... Sure thing. Mom is in the kitchen cooking dinner and Dad is out in the backyard fixing a hole in the tool shed's roof." She looked confused as to what could possibly be so important that I needed to tell everyone about.

I walk into the kitchen and gave Mom a bear hug. "Hey, Mom!" I exclaim when I walk in.

"Zane! I've missed you so much! Taking a quick break from the Pokemon League to spend Christmas with us?" She remarked.

"Yeah about that... I'll explain later. I also have something else important to say." I was already tired of explaining that, but after I tell everyone about Ruby, they will automatically know. "It's a long story..." I commented.

"Well okay, whatever you say sweety." She says with glee. My mom was kind of naive at times.

I comment ,"Well I need to tell everyone as soon as possible." My mom just continues cooking as it goes from one ear and out the other.

I sigh and walk out the back door to tell Dad. Ruby stayed behind with Annabelle. I see him hammering nails into the plywood to the roof of the shed. He just finished the job when I went over to announce my presence.

"What's up Dad!" He looked my way and was surprised to see me.

"Zane! What's shaking?" My dad has always been old school.

I explain for the last time ,"I need to talk to you all about a turn of events. It's really important to me as well." He smiled as he glanced at me.

"Sure thing kiddo! As soon as I put up the tools we can talk." Dad has always been headstrong my entire life. He's been the person I looked up too for as long as I could remember.

"Thanks, Dad. This really means something to me so if you could just hear me out on this. But please don't call me kiddo. I'm fifteen, not ten."

"No problem." He responded.

I gather them all in the living room and nervously start the confession. I was positive my hands were shaking tremendously but no one really noticed. "Well I guess I can start with thank you for hearing me out on this. This has got to be the most important confession I have ever had to make in my entire life."

Mom spoke up ,"Your welcome honey. We are all here for you and support you completely."

"Well, thats great to hear. But I'm not sure you're going to after I tell you this." I continue "Well you see this happened recently and it's been this best thing that has ever happened to me in life, in my opinion. I fell in love with someone..."

Mom gasped and began her statement ,"Wait you aren't gay are you? Not that there's anything wrong with that."

I chuckled and replied ,"No, no, no. I'm not gay. I promise..." She let out a sigh of relief as if  _that_  was bad compared to what I was about to tell them. Well not that there's anything wrong with being gay. "Well, I'm definitely not someone you say would be  _normal_. It's just that everything about her I love. And I couldn't help but fall in love with her." At that moment I knew Annabelle had a moment of realization but my parents were still clueless.

"Son, who is she? It's okay. Whoever she is, I know we will understand. Just tell us." I took in a deep breathe in and out and I just stare at Ruby. Time felt like it was going in slow-motion as I observed her. She looked so cute while she wore that pink hoodie I got her and my blue scarf. Mom and Dad notice I was staring at Ruby and they too had the same moment of realization Anna had.

"Mom, Dad... I'm in love with Ruby. I love her with all of my heart and will never stop loving her until the day I die... I hope you can understand my feelings towards her."

Annabelle looked like she was holding back tears, and then she bursts out crying.  **What kind of answer was that supposed to be?**  Mom and Dad didn't looked surprised though. They turned back to me and Mom said ,"Look sweaty, I understand. I understand because you aren't the only one..."  **What? What does she mean I'm not the only one?**

She continued her statement ,"Anna went through the same thing." I couldn't believe what I just heard.  **I never knew. Why didn't anyone bother to tell me?**   **How long ago was this?** Then I remembered that Annabelle had "troubles" in her journey and had to leave her pokemon and come back home.  **I had no idea that it was this.**

Anna tried to collect herself and speak ,"It happened when I was sixteen... I fell in love with my greninja." She continued her confession to me ,"But there was rumors of an organization that was killing anyone abnormal. And it didn't matter who you were. Gay, transgender, or , in my case, in love with your pokemon. I got scared and selfish. So I left Greninja and went straight back home. I knew you wouldn't understand why I did it so I didn't tell you. I was so stupid and I regret everything I did. And now it still haunts me to this day."

I was shocked to hear her say these words. I then replied to her ,"Did you give him a name? And if so, what was it?" She shuttered at my question.

"His name was Zane... I named him that because he reminded me of you. He was so bold, kind, gentle, a bit of a wise-guy. And he was especially protective. I gave the name later on when I noticed these qualities. But I'm afraid he wasn't able to speak like Ruby can." I was still in shock as she explained her greninja thoroughly. Then she spoke up again ,"Zane, Ruby is a special one. Don't ever leave her no matter what happens. Stay with her and protect her. And if things get tough, you have to work through them as best as you can."

She got up and gave me the biggest hug. As she cried into my chest. "Just please don't leave her behind and don't try to forget the past like I did." I felt so sorry.  **Wow. I guess I can't ever take my relationship with Ruby for granted.** My mom gave me hug too and told me that everything was okay and that she excepted Ruby. I couldn't explain in words of how relieved I was to hear those exact words. It made me happy that Ruby was officially part of our family now. Ruby should get to know everyone a little better then.

And that night we spent Christmas Eve eating, laughing, and telling jokes about me and Ruby. Most of them were pretty dirty and embarrassed me quite a lot. We played Christmas themed games and ate cookies and drank eggnog. Ruby and I fell asleep on the couch with the warm heat of the fireplace. We were holding each other close enjoying this moment. The lights from the Christmas tree shined down on us. Various colored and sized presents were tucked underneath the tree. Everything was calm and peaceful. We could hear the Christmas carolers out in the town. And for a moment it really did feel like on this day war didn't exist.

But no one knew what unspeakable, horrible, gruesome, and dreadful thing would happen just a couple days later.

* * *

December 26, XXXX

(Ruby's POV)

_(Santalune City *Jett's House*)_

[9:34 am]

I woke up in the living room of Jett's house. He was nice enough to let us stay another time so that we could keep traveling the region. Jett  _and_  his parents were also nice enough to except Zane for who he was and respected who he loved. Me and Zane were cuddled close to each other as always. We were sleeping on the couch which was extremely comfortable. Shortly after I awoke so did Zane. "Morning gorgeous." He kissed me on the side of my chest which tickled.

"Hey that tickles!" I exclaim.

"Uh oh... Looks like a ticklish spot has been found! Red alert! You better protect that with everything you got!" He remarked and started attacking me with tickles from both sides.

"Ahhhh! No! Hahahahahaha! No stop! That tickles! Zaaaane!" After he attacked me with his tickle barrage he kissed me passionately.

He commented ,"I love you so much that there isn't a word for it." I kissed him back.

His pokedex starts to ring and he picks it up. Thanks to my ears I could hear it was his mom. But something wasn't right she was crying... But why? She was sobbing and could hardly get a single word out. "Mom what's wrong? Did something happen? Why are you crying?"

And then at that moment She said just a few words that would change both me and Zane's life... forever.

"Zane... You're sister..." She couldn't speak the last couple of words thanks to the sobbing.

"My sister? What happened Mom? Is everything okay?" Zane had concern written all over his face. And then she said the last words.

"Anna was... Murdered..." My heart sank to my stomach. I couldn't believe.  **Was this some kind of sick joke? Why would someone murder Anna? But how?** Zane's face went from concern to horror in an instant. Drops filled in his eyes. It was almost like he couldn't comprehend what was going on. His sister was dead.  **Anna is dead. Anna is dead. Anna is dead...** I repeated this over and over again in my mind. I too started to cry.

That's when Zane looked frail. All the color had drained in his face. He looked like he was going to pass out. he dropped the dex and ran straight for the restroom. I heard him vomit in toilet. I just sat on the couch and ran this through my mind over and over again.  **This can't be happening. Why would anyone want to kill her. She was the sweetest person I have ever met. No one can hate her. Could they?** Zane just kept vomiting until there was nothing else to vomit. Then I just heard him cry as loud as he could. He cried and cried.

Jett ran down the stairs ,"What the hell is going on?" And he saw me bawling my eyes out on the couch and also heard Zane in the restroom. "What's wrong?!" He exclaimed in confusion.

"Annabelle... She's dead..." Just as horror stole Zane's face, it too stole Jett's.

* * *

December 28, XXXX

(Ruby's POV)

_(Vaniville Funeral Home)_

[2:06 pm]

The priest began ,"Thank you all for being hear today to honor Anna and thank you for your love towards her. The death of Annabelle Ashtin is truly a tragedy. We all loved her for who she really was. Her kindness. Her caring. Her loving support... By no means did she deserve death. Anna was only eighteen years old when this unspeakable act occurred. She was always helping someone out and she could cheer up anyone even in the darkest of days. Hell if she was hear right now, we wouldn't be grieving her death. Her bright radiance could light up any room she was in and her beautiful looks could make any man fall for her. Her consideration for other people was more than the word could explain. But Annabelle is in a better place. She no longer has to live in this foul world. Full of hatred, lies, and deceit. I believe the hardest part of healing after you've lost someone you love, is to recover the "you" that went away with them. You're gonna lose people in your life. And realize that no matter how much time you spent with them or how much you appreciate them and told them so, it will never seem like it was enough. And there is no bandage that will ever be able to heal our wounds from this tragic loss. Because no matter how much we ask, no matter much we beg, Anna will never come back to us. And as Brendan price, former Hoenn League champion would say: One of the most difficult tasks in life is removing someone from your heart and the younger you are, the worse it gets. And together we ask that Arceus our great creator, please pass your judgment. Pass your worst against this discussing being that killed this beautiful young girl for no apparent reason." The priest continued. Zane was next to me. He couldn't stop crying. No matter how much he tried to stop it would get worse. I hug him comfort and try to cheer him up, but it had no affect. He just kept crying and I just kept trying to comfort him.

"She's gone... forever... She's never coming back." He stated as he cried and sobbed in between words.

After the priest was finished we were able to go up and pay our respects. There were countless flowers everywhere. And there were numerous portraits hanging on stands of her and Zane or with other friends and family. And then thats when I noticed something about the coffin. Zane asked ,"Why isn't it open casket?" His mother was trembling and crying her shaking couldn't stop as she explained to Zane ,"Her death was... just too gruesome... to reconstruct her face." She sobbed in every sentence and Zane collapsed on the coffin screaming out and crying ,"WHY?! Why did you... have to die? WHY?!" It was just too much for me to hold back and I start to cry as well. And again I try to comfort him by hugging him.  **How could some kill a person to the point where you can't even tell who they were? Who could have done this? Why did they do it?** Anger started to boil inside me. Zane wouldn't leave her coffin and he laid on her coffin crying until it was all over.

* * *

(Zane's POV)

_(Vaniville Cemetery)_

[3:31 pm]

It was lightly snowing and everyone was gathered around where Anna was buried. There were many people. Friends, family, and people I didn't even know. Anna was buried next to a willow tree. The branches were winding and empty of life, much like Annabelle. There were bouquets of flowers surrounding the grave stone. Snow began to gather on the ground and began to cake. Jett, his parents, Zane's parents, and I guess other people that were close to Annabelle were all there. Zane dropped to his knees and so did I. He began to softly cry starting a chain reaction. But he fought it as much as he could. He beat the ground with his fists in anger. That's when everyone started to leave. The mob of people slowly walked away from the burial. I was holding onto Zane with all of my remorse telling him how sorry I was that he had to go through this. And so we were the only ones left except for a single man behind us. He walked up putting his hand on Zane's shoulder. He had a gray trench coat on with black cargo jeans. He also had black wool gloves on. His hair was a little messy and dark brown. He had a handle bar mustache with a slightly trimmed up beard.

"Who are you?" Zane asked in confusion.

The man responded ,"I'm a friend of Annabelle's. We met while she was out on her journey. And man did she love that greninja."

Both me and Zane turned our heads in shock. Zane spoke up first ,"How did you know that?"

The man chuckled ,"You would be surprised to know how many people actually knew." He continued ,"And I guess you could say the past had finally caught up with her."

"What do you mean by that?" Zane replied.

"Son, I think I might have a good idea as to who killed your sister." Again we were both surprised about the statement.

"Wait what's your name?" Zane asks.

"I'm sorry to say that that's classified." Zane is confused about this statement. The man continues his speech.

"Son, do you want justice? Do you want to avenge your sister?" Zane stares at the grave. The snow began to get thicker.

He commented ,"Of course I do. I wanted to bring justice on to whoever did this."

The man looked off into the distance and sigh ,"I can't believe I'm doing this... What the hell will the League think? More importantly, what will Mia think? I guess it's almost like adopting a kid that's already fucking fifteen."

Zane is really confused now ,"What are you talking about?"

The man once again sighed ,"Well I guess the jig is up... Son, I'm a mercenary for the Pokemon League. My code name is Cross."

Zane is surprised at this statement and asks ,"Why would you ever say this to me? I thought that was "Classified"."

The man laughed ,"Oh it is and I'm getting way out of line here so I'm going to make this quick. I feel really sorry for your loss. And to be honest," He hesitated ,"you remind me of myself when I was your age. Zane Ashtin."

"How do you know my name?"

He laughed again and said ,"I guess you could say a mercenary has his ways. But anyways what I'm trying to ask you is," Once again he hesitated ,"would you like to join me and become a merce-"

He was interrupted when Zane said ,"Where do I sign up? I'll do anything if it means bringing justice to my sister's killer."


	7. Your Actions Determine Your Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After taking up this mysterious mans offer, He takes Zane and Ruby to the closest airport. but trouble finds Zane ounce again.

Chapter 7: Actions Determine Your Fate

(Zane's POV)

_(Vaniville Cemetery)_

[3:38 pm]

"Just so you know, you may never see your parents again... Make your peace now, just in case we don't come back from this journey." Cross replied to me. I thought about it for a second but I knew in my heart what had to be done. So that my sister can sleep in peace.

I stood up and puffed my chest out a little ,"Whatever it takes to avenge my sister." Cross smirked at my answer. I didn't know who he was but I had a feeling that our destinies will be intertwined. I knew that he wasn't joking around with this. This was serious.

"Good. Keep up that enthusiasm. Because, as of right now: The only rule is survival. Anything goes... Your both coming with me to my home..." He turned around and started to walk away. So I followed him.

Ruby leaned over to whisper something ,"Are you sure we can trust this man? We have no idea who he is. Anyone could say that their Annabelle's friend."

I did the same to Ruby ,"I have a feeling that this isn't a hoax. Just trust me on this one." I then kissed her on the cheek. We continued walking to route 1. He motioned us to stop and so we did. He took a luxury ball out and opened it. A blaziken was released. From the looks of it, She was female.

"Blaz... Blaziken?" She was staring at us intently.

Cross replied ,"Mia, this is Zane Ashtin and his Braixen companion."  **Braixen companion? I guess now that we're going to be living with each other I should tell him about Ruby and me.**

"Blaziken ken blaz?" The blaziken smiles.

Crossed replied to her as if he could understand her ,"Just thought you might make good company on this trip... Also, it'll give me a chance to warn all three of you..." Me and Ruby look at each other with confusion.

Ruby speaks up ,"Warn us about what?" They both notice her ability to speak and were perplexed.

The blaziken said ,"Ken... Blaziken..."

"You'll get used to it... No, nevermind. I don't think I'll get used to it either... " Cross had commented on to what his blaziken said

I was puzzled as to what they were talking about ,"Get used to what now?"

"You can't hear my blaziken?" Cross replied and I shook my head no ,"Hmm... Don't worry. My part-time job as a mercenary was translation... " He ruffled my hair which was a bit annoying.

Ruby asked Cross ,"What was your full-time job?"

"First, do you have a name?" He asked her and then extended his right hand. She gave him her right paw and they shook. He smirked again.

She responded ,"Ruby. A pleasure to meet you." Then instantly he pulls out a revolver and aims it at her. I just froze.  **What the hell?!** He holstered his gun and chuckled.

"Click. Boom. Cash. That was my full-time job." He sighed.  **This guy _is_  serious about being a mercenary.** Cross and his blaziken then walked into the shrubbery and came back in a Humvee.  **How the hell were they hiding that?** He rolled the window down and said ,"Get in." We nodded and jumped in the back. Ruby and I put our seat belts on and held hands.

I whisper to Ruby ,"We're going to be okay. I love you." Cross had said something under his breath and looked at his blaziken. And then to my amazement, his blaziken kisses him on the right cheek.  **What? Did that really just happen?** He laughed honking the horn on the Humvee.

He spoke up ,"Look you're not hiding anything, neither am I." He continued ,"You guys are lucky... But, where we're going, you need to act like you're not completely fucking smitten... You may be safe here, but not at my home... Luckily, I live a little far from nosy neighbors, but you'll have to restrain yourselves until you get to my house... " Ruby, the blaziken, and I all look at him in confusion.

Ruby spoke up first ,"But why? It's not like our love is illegal... " He sighed.

"... It is... At least, in Kanto... You can blame the conservation SOB called 'the mayor'... " His blaziken held his hand and he gave her a warm smile. She let go and then looked out of the window. "We'll only be passing on... Still, don't draw attention to yourselves." He replied as he started the car and we drove off. Again he muttered something under his breath but I was too far away to tell what he said.

It was at least thirty minutes until someone had finally said something. "So... Umm... " I spoke up making things really awkward. Cross looked through the rearview mirror. "Let's get to know each other." I continued ,"Does she have a name?" I pointed at the blaziken. He glances over at his partner.

"Oh, that's Mia. I also have a poochyena named Hades... I guess it's my turn to ask... Hmm..." He thought for a second ,"How long have you two been together?" I was confused as to why he wanted to know that.

"Since December 22." I added ,"Why?" He had a moment of realization which really puzzled me.

"Oh, no reason."

I asked. "How old are you?"

He responded ,"Twenty-four."

There was then another awkward silence. I watched as we traveled the road to who-knows-where. Cross then spoke up ,"So here's a personal question. Are you ready? Ruby... Do you have any idea on how you're able to speak?" She glanced at him and looked off into space.

"My parents taught me how." He was surprised and began to wonder.

"Do you have any idea who they were?" He added. She was still looking out the window staring off into dreamland.

"I don't remember much. I was really little when they all of a sudden disappeared one day..." He realized his mistake.

"Oh, I'm sorry if that was a little too personal. I didn't mean to-" He was cut off.

"No, it's fine." She didn't seem to mind at all.

We pass Santalune City. And then I remembered Jett. I was about to leave him for a long time, if not forever.  **But I can't get him into this. This is my choice.** I thought about my wonderful childhood I spent with Jett. All those times he broke one of his bones. All the places we explored together. And all the special moments that we made with each other. I will never forget him for as long as I live. I will never forget all those moments we spent together without a care in the world. With a slight tear in my eye, I watch as the memories go by.  **Maybe I _will_  see him again someday.**

I ask Cross ,"So why are we going to your home exactly?" I continue ,"What's the reason?"

He glanced through the rearview mirror and sighed ,"Let's start out with this... I believe the person that killed your sister was more than just one person. I have reason to suspect that a secret cult called 'The Saviors' has something to do with this. And well we're going to be venturing into the very heart of it all... Kanto..." He continued ,"But they aren't limited to  _just_  Kanto. I think they are spreading, like a virus." He cringed at the last word.

I respond ,"Wait... Kanto is almost halfway around the world... We're not going to-" He interrupted me.

"No, we're not going to drive all the way there... It's going to be risky but we're going to have to board a flight. But, I'm going to need both of you to trust me. I know it seems like I'm a creepy dude in all. And going this far away from your home sounds extremely suspicious but I'm going to need your trust. You want justice for your sister, right?" He was right. He was a little odd and going this far away from home was pretty terrifying. But I was determined. Determined to bring this cult to their knees. Determined to make them beg for mercy. I yearn for it. I want it more than anything else.

"I do... I trust you." I look at Ruby and smirk. She wasn't sure on how to think of all of this. She began to contemplate on the subject.

Cross added ,"Look, you can just ask Mia. She trusts me."

"Blaz! Blaziken." She happily responded. Ruby came to a conclusion.

"Well okay then." Cross looked relieved.

He commented ,"Okay, so when we get to Lumiose airport you're going to have to restrain yourselves from each other. Although, yes, it's legal here but you have to remember that we're getting tickets to a place that doesn't legalize it. It's going to be a long flight so just prepare yourselves." Ruby and I look at each other with concern.  **We'll be fine.**

* * *

(Ruby's POV)

_(Lumiose City)_

[4:26 pm]

We arrived in Lumiose City but for some reason, we had to ditch the car ,"So why exactly did we leave the car?" I asked.

"Uhh... Well... you see I kind of... stole it..."

I remark ,"Seriously. And you want me to trust you?" He chuckles nervously.

"Well, I needed some sort of way to get to... It's a long story and I don't feel like talking about it." I sigh and roll my eyes.

We continue to walk through the city passing stores and restaurants. And then we come across a pokemon battle. Both of the trainers were girls but one had a gengar and had blonde hair and the other had a gallade and she had dark brown hair. The gallade fainted and was seriously injured. To be honest it looked like a perfectly normal fight. That is until the opposing trainer orders her gengar to attack again ,"Gengar use shadow ball!" The gengar charged up a ball of black energy.

"No! Stop! Please." The dark brown haired girl begged the blonde chick to stop and she ran over to her gallade to get between him in the gengar. The trainer that owned the gengar laughed manically.

"You better get out of the way or you're going down with him!"  **This was getting way out of hand. Why is she doing this?** And then just before the gengar was about to attack Zane speaks up.

"What's going on here?!" The trainer glares at us. I was surprised and so was Cross.

She replies ,"None of your business!" And then it got a whole lot crazier. Zane runs over to the other trainer and her gallade.

Cross whispers ,"Again? In one day?" I was confused by what he said.  **What does he mean 'again'?** The opposing trainer retrieved her gengar.

I could tell this was serious to Zane. His face was overwritten with anger as if it mattered. But then again he is the one that always stands up to people like this trainer. "What the hell is wrong with you? You could've killed them both." Zane yelled at her.

She smirked ,"Serves them right. That freak-a-zoid and her gallade were kissing." The other girl was hugging her gallade tightly and crying. Zane stood there for a minute. Contemplating and understanding the weight of this situation.

The other trainer laughed ,"See I told you! She deserved what was coming for her." and in a blink of an eye, Zane was standing in front of her. Cross was baffled and so was I. It didn't even seem like he moved. One second he was standing next to the gallade, and then he was in front of the blonde girl. She freaks out and lands on her ass. She was afraid for her life. It was hilarious seeing as how Zane wasn't actually doing anything.

His expression goes from anger to disgust. He squats down to get to her face height. He then tells her ,"Don't you ever criticize someone that isn't like you. Now you can either go over there and apologize to her. Or, I can kick your ass. Which is it?" I have never in my life seen Zane like this. At this point, the blonde girl was crying too. She gets up and slowly walks over to the dark brown haired girl.

"I'm... I'm... I'm..." She was crying so much she couldn't form a two-word sentence. "...I'm sorry... " She finally gets both words out.  **This must be humiliating.** I thought to myself. Zane then turns around to face her.

He comments ,"Great... Now get lost." She runs away as fast as she could passing me, Cross, and Mia along the way. Zane walks over to the dark brown haired girl. "Is he okay?" He asks and she slightly nods. "Sorry I couldn't come sooner." He adds

She shakes her ,"No, it wasn't your fault."

Zane looks off into the distance ,"Say, what's your name?"

"Delilah" She responds. And she looks over to Zane and adds ,"Thank you so much. If you hadn't come in time..." She starts to cry again.

He smiles and says ,"Well I'm here. And he's safe."

She wipes away her tears ,"His name is Spartos."

"Well, my name is Zane." She looks back to Spartos.

Zane then sits down next to her and asks ,"So... Are you?"

She glances at Zane ,"I don't know what you mean."

"Are you and Spartos... Ya'know... Together?" She nods.

Zane sighs ,"Well believe it or not I am too... Wait that came out wrong! What I meant to say was-"

She laughs interrupting him ,"I understand what you mean. You're with someone special too."

He sighs ,"Yeah... Well for now on just be careful okay." He continues ,"Stay out of danger as best as you can. And take Spartos to the pokemon center okay."

Just before Zane was about to leave she asks him ,"Wait. What's your name?"

He turns around and smiles ,"Zane. If you really want to know."

he turns around and begins to walk away and waves goodbye.


	8. Journey into Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group makes their way to the Lumiose City Air Port. Their destination: The Kanto Region. But someone spies from afar.

Chapter 8: Journey Into Darkness

(Zane's POV)

(Lumiose City)

[4:41 pm]

I continued walking over to Ruby with a slight smirk. She had a smile with her paws at her hips. "You sure know how to be dramatic..." I chuckled at her comment noticing what I just did.

"Well someone had to do something." I hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. She blushed a little and giggled.

"Whatever happened to being low-key?"

"Oh yeah that's right! My bad, must have forgotten." She laughed at my response and playfully punches me in my arm. We hold hands as we continue to walk.

Cross then whispered ,"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I was confused. I just saved that trainer.

I whisper back ,"What do you mean? Do you think I should've just let that trainer get her way?"

He remarks ,"You could've been more subtle about it... If we weren't trying to keep a low-profile, I would simply shot the trainer right between the eyes. I could've done a lot of things. We all could've. But I decided against it... Now, thanks to you, that trainer might be a problem later on. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying what you did was bad. I'm merely telling you to process HOW to handle a situation like that." I sighed. I sure screwed up. But I guess it's just another way of learning.

I collect myself ,"I just... Don't know what came over me. But, I'll be more careful next time." We resumed walking. Ruby and I let go of each other remembering to keep the low-profile. It's going to be a long flight.

(Zane's POV)

(Lumiose City Airport)

[6:25 pm]

We finally arrived at the airport after hours of walking through Lumiose City. The airport had off-white colored concrete walls and huge modern style windows. There were various planes being flown in and out of the runway. Crowds of people were entering and exiting the massive facility. Cross took out his pokedex and started searching for something. After a minute he finally found what he was looking for. "Good news... There's a flight headed to Kanto in about twenty-five minutes... " I was Relieved to hear we don't have to wait hours for a flight. Cross added ,"Bad news... They don't allow pokemon to board, so we need to withdraw our pokemon until we exit the Kanto airport." I slightly cringed at the word 'our'. I never want to think that I own Ruby. But besides that, I knew she won't be happy about this.

Ruby then pouted out ,"Aww... Do we really need to go back to our pokeballs?" I was annoyed as well. This scenario reminds me of that incident that happened at that restaurant called 'The Pyroar's Den'.

Mia smiled at this statement and whispered something to Cross. He chuckled at this mysterious remark. Cross commented ,"Well, let's head out. The sooner this flight leaves, the sooner we can take our mates out of their spherical cages." Both me and Ruby were blushing at this statement. I never thought of her as a 'mate'. I guess by her standards I would be a 'mate'. I point my pokeball at Ruby but nothing happened. Is it broken?

Cross sighs and says ,"Tap her forehead." Ruby faces Cross and squints at him. I lightly touch the back of her head and in seconds she turns into red energy and goes inside the pokeball.

"Sorry..." I whispered to her ball. The ball wiggled in my hands as if she was telling me not to worry. Cross then takes out an interesting looking pokeball. It was black and had a red and yellow band at the top. The button was yellow as well.

I gasped ,"Where did you get that?" He returns Mia to the mysterious pokeball.

He responds ,"It was given to me by my father. He had pokemon too. Once he knew his pokemon served their purpose, he released them, then gave me three of the seven luxury balls he had. He sold the other four in a black market and after that, we were able to live drowning in money. these things are highly coveted in the black market. There's been news about fake ones running around in the black market, but that only seemed to increase the value of a real one." We put our pokeballs back into our pockets. We walk over to one of the terminals. "Say business and show the guards this. I'm gonna take a little while. Wait for me at the terminal." He gives me a card that read 'League Investigator'.

Without Cross, I walk to the terminal and show one the guards the card and say ,"Business." He looks at the card and then looks at me. There was no doubt he was suspicious.

After a second he drops it and replies ,"Have a nice flight." Wow, that was close. I could've been in a bad situation. I walk over to a group of benches and stare out of a massive window thinking What have I gotten myself into?

I hear Cross behind me ,"Everything alright?" I face him and sit down on one of the benches and so does he.

I respond ,"Are you sure we should be going to Kanto?" I was a little worried.

I smiled at me ,"Don't worry... As soon as we get there, we're heading to my home. It'll all be worth it, since there's never a shortage of food to be had. My mother sometimes goes and re-stocks anything at the cabin." His words cheered me up.

I notice a silver case that was beside him ,"Hey, what's in the case?" I was pointing at it.

He glances at it ,"My gear. Can't use it on the plane." He looks through his pocket and took out a packet of gum. "Here, take one." I took the gum strip and started chewing.

"Mmmm... What flavor is it?" I ask as I start to blow bubbles.

He smirked at me and started to chew his as well. He responded ,"Beedrill vaginal fluid..." I was flustered.

"Mu... I... the... what?" I was spurting out gibberish. He laughs and sighs.

"Relax. It's just banana flavored. It's called pika-chew. Any gum is great for a plane flight. Clears the mind..." He adds.

We then hear the terminal speakers say ,"Attention soon-to-be passengers of Kanto Airlines... The flight leaves in four minutes. Passengers can now start boarding." Everyone at the terminal gets up and starts to board the plane. We get on the plane and find two seats to spend the flight in. I sit in a left window seat and Cross sits next to me. Cross takes one of the magazines and starts to indulge himself. I look out the window and sigh. After a minute the plane starts and we make our way to the runway. The plane picks up speed. Going faster and faster until the plane has lifted off the ground. Now we we're in the air going over a thousand miles per hour. I sigh again.

"Well shit... There's no going back now. I guess I'm committed to this. I'm gonna be a mercenary." I continue ,"Wow, who knew one day you could you could be spending Christmas with your family, and then a couple days later, boarding a flight with a complete stranger." Cross chuckles at this remark.

He responds ,"That's how this world works."

(Third person)

(?)

[?]

A man walks into a dark alley and opens his pokedex to call someone. After a couple of seconds of waiting someone answers. Their voice was warped by a synthesizer.

"How has your journey been so far? What have you found out about this group that you have been following?"

The man answers the question ,"Well, I haven't found out much. Nothing has really happened so far... But there was... an incident."

"Good. We'll talk about the details later. Anything on Zane Ashtin?"

"He might become a potential threat...''

"Okay, well if things get a little out of hand, please eliminate this 'potential threat'."

"Yes sir. Over and out."


	9. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zane, Ruby, Cross, and Mia eventually end up in Kanto. In a place where Zane is not welcome. How will his future unfold?

(Zane's POV)

_(Kanto Airport)_

[9:41 pm]

After a four hour flight from Kalos to Kanto, we finally made it. The Kanto Region. We exited the airport and started heading straight to Cross's home. I was exhausted and aching from the trip. It was getting dark outside and we desperately needed to get to Cross's house. It's only been four hours and I already missed looking at Ruby's beautiful face. I was staring at her pokeball thinking about her.  **I hate this thing. It's like a prison. I wonder who in the right mind would think _this_  is comfortable. And I bet Ruby hates it even more since she's the one that has to be inside it. I hate the concept of this ownership too. A long time ago I never really thought about it much, but this is basically like owning slaves. And these pokeballs are like shackles. I want to free Ruby.**

Cross broke the silence ,"Do you know why I said 'our pokemon' before we got here?"  **Did he read my mind?**

I respond ,"No... But, I don't really like that concept of ownership..." I crossed my arms and he smirked.

"That's great and all, but the only way you'll be able to truly understand that the relationships we're in are NOT forced... is to come to terms with that ownership. Understand that, even if you want to deny it, nothing is going to change that fact. And then you have to forget about it. Make it like breathing: You have to do it, regardless of the situation... Once you grasp that concept, I believe you will be an amazing alpha male." I squint my eyes in thought.  **What?**

I repeat to myself ,"An alpha male..?"

Cross adds ,"Pokemon see their trainer as the alpha male. The alpha male has to be strong, decisive, brave, courageous, and caring... But, that would apply to trainers who have more than three pokemon... " Knowing that this won't happen to me, I calm down. "Now c'mon. The quickest way to my house is here." We headed to a dirt path that had a few houses and shops.

We continued down the path. After a few minutes, I spoke up ,"What's it like being the alpha male on your team?" I asked.

He sighed to my question but didn't stop walking ,"It's not bad. But, the pressure you place yourself under is great. Your pokemon see you as their leader... And, it is your will and mind who have to be sharpened to a point, just to expel any feelings any feelings and concern during a battle. You must NOT your feelings or worries cloud you in the midst of battle. That's what a leader is about: learning when to let go and when to hold on... " He let's out a small tear.  **This is deep.**

"That sounds... Terrible." I look at the store that is presented in front of me.

He responds ,"I know... But, I've lived long enough to not forsaken myself with needless suffering. I will cry for my pokemon, but I will not suffer... I will pray for my pokemon, but I will not mourn them... I will miss my pokemon, but I will not yearn for them." He walks over to the entrance and beckoned me. We walk into the shop and instantly hear country music. I look around the store and notice the many rows of motorcycles and choppers. We continue through the store until we come across the owner. He was wearing a left eye patch with a baseball cap. He also wore a red T and black slacks. We couldn't see his shoes though.

The owner speaks up ,"Ah... If it isn't Riley. Last time you were here, you cost me half a leg."  **Is his real name Riley?**

Cross replies ,"You sure it wasn't half your sight?" They both smirk and glare at each other.  **Oh shit... Is something about to go down?** They both burst out laughing. The owner walks around the counter and they hug each other.

"Damn... It's been too long, man... So, what can I do for my regular?" The man asks Cross putting his hands around his waist.

Cross comments ,"My little brother's looking for something nice... Not too strong, but also more than just functional. Isn't that right?" He looked at me. I was still shocked from the death stare.

Cross once again speaks up ,"He's still impressed... Gotta say, that's a nice collection." he was pointing at five expensive looking choppers.

"You want one?" The man asks.

Cross smiles and nods ,"Sure why not... maybe next time I come back, mute over here might actually pick one." They laughed jokingly. I was annoyed.

"Alright... Normally I'd charge full price for one of those, but you're my regular. How about a 20% discount?" Cross smirked and shook hands with the owner.

"Deal." He replied. We walk back to the counter and I kept silent.

And then I speak up ,"How much is it?"

Cross chuckled and replied ,"So let's have it."

"That'll be seven-hundred poke-dollars, mates." He said. Cross took out his wallet and handed him the money. The owner gave him the keys and we took the chopper that we choose outside.

Cross tells me ,"C'mon... There's no time to waste..." I was a little embarrassed to sit behind someone in a motorcycle.

"Uhh... I don't really like being in-" he interrupts me with a glare.

"Unless you can drive a high-end chopper with four-hundred fifty rapidash power, I suggest you simply stow it and get on..." I sigh in defeat. He starts the chopper and tells me to hold on and we left. We drove for a solid five minutes to find a gas station to put more fuel in the motorcycle.

"Hey, you want something from the store?" Cross asks me and gives me ten poke-dollars. I look at it for a second.

I then ask Cross ,"If your family is rich, why did you become a mercenary?" He sighs.

"I wanted to explore the world, but I also wanted to get revenge... " I was interested in what he had to say.

"Revenge on who?" He finishes pumping fuel into the chopper.

"On the Saviors... I thought that if I kept doing these missions for the league, I'd eventually come across those fucking life-wreckers... Until I was betrayed... The man wasn't with the league at all, he was using us from the beginning..." I began to understand.  **He's just like me... Out for revenge.**

"Are you... Like this, because you no longer trust anyone? Because your life has been ruined before?" He chuckles.

"I couldn't have said it better myself... But, it's getting late and we need to get home before the traps kick in... " I gulped.

"You never said anything about traps..."

"Don't worry, the traps are fairly simple... But, simplicity is their strength... Let's go... You can keep the ten dollars. For now, Let's just focus on getting home..." He sighed at the word 'home'.

We both get back on the chopper and drove away. Ten minutes later we reach a gate. Cross stares at it intently.

He mutters out ,"I'm home... " He walks over to the gate to open it, but suddenly we hear a noise coming from near by shrubbery. "Stay by the chopper." He tells me looking concerned and pulls out his blade. I felt earth quaking steps.

"It can't be..." he says in a low tone. Then a tyranitar comes out and looks at us intently. It then walks slowly towards the gate and stands in front of it. He turns to face us and growls.

"Tyranitar... Ty itar." The tyranitar speaks in his poke speech.

Of course Cross understands ,"That may not be your concern..." He responded to the tyranitar. He looked annoyed and approached Cross. The tyranitar was towering over Cross by a good one foot and three inches. I was getting ready to let Ruby out in case things go South. but Cross turned around and mouthed the word 'no'.

The tyranitar spoke again ,"Ranitar, tyranitar." The tyranitar was now four inches away from Cross. He sheathed his blade and put his hands behind his back.

"You're not going to harm me or my guest." The pokemon smirked. He placed his right claw on Cross's head.

"Ty tyranitar... itar RAN tyran, tyranitar." He let go of Cross's head.  **Man, why do I have to miss out on conversations like these?**  Cross shrugged.

"What would Beatrice think of you, if you simply attacked anyone trying to say hi..?" The tyranitar looked surprised.

"Tyran tyranitar ran ty... " He gave Cross a menacing look.

Then we all heard the gates open, only to see a woman in her fifties with blonde hair, bound in a ponytail. The tyranitar took a few steps back away from Cross. The woman had a black sweater, white slacks and red boots. She also had a blue headband and blue finger-less wool gloves.

"Now now, Apophus, I've told you about scaring away the guests... Now, let's have a look, alright?" She said and put on a pair of glasses. I walk up to her along with Cross.

Cross spoke first ,"Hello there, miss Beatrice." Then she looked at us intently.

"Hmm... I don't recognize you, but you know my name... So, you're either here to kill me... Or you're someone I should remember..." She crossed her arms.  **Huh... Tough life for her. Any guests she has are either here to visit or here to kill her.**

I spoke up ,"I'm sorry Cross, but, who's this?" I pointed at Beatrice. The tyranitar snarled at me.  **Oh Mew... Rule number one: don't get on his bad side.**  Cross chuckled.

"You sure are calm for an assassin..." Beatrice said.

Cross replies ,"That's because I'm not here to kill you..." She smiled and stood closer to Apophus and put her left arm behind his back.

"Well Apophus, it looks like we have guests... But, before we go to my house... What's your names, kid-o's?" She said, then chuckled. Apophus smiled and walked towards a cabin in the distance.

I spoke first ,"Well, my name is Zane. This is Cross." But she just laughed and crossed her arms, her smile still not fading.

"I only believe half that statement." She said. I saw Cross shed a tear.

"You always had a keen ear... mom... " Cross commented. Her smiled faded.

"My son died on a mission in Kanto-" Cross cut her off...

"To eliminate a target known as HUNK... But, the mission was a failure, yet your son's body was not found... " Cross said as he flashes his revolver.  **I have no idea what they're talking about.** Beatrice gasped holding both of her hands to her mouth.

"... Ryder... " She whispered, then they both hug each other.  **Wait, I though his real name was Riley.**

Ryder responded ,"It's been way too long... I should've called you, but you told me to never call unless I was in trouble..." She half-chuckled half-cried.

"You always were a stubborn son of a bitch like your father... but, that's what I loved about him..." they let go of each other and they both looked at me.

Ryder spoke first ,"Well... Mom, this is Zane... He's my... apprentice, as it were..." She laughed at his statement.

"At this age, he might just be your brother... Or your son... Which reminds me, where's Chelsey?" Then everything went silent. Ryder sighed.  **Who is Chelsey?**  This was serious and I could tell by the look of Ryder's face. It had pain written all over it.

"... No... Ryder, please don't tell me... " He silenced her with a small hug and sighed. She wiped her tears away and his as well. "It must've been hard for you to let go... But, we can talk about this more later. Let's go... " She said as she released a garchomp from one of her pokeballs. It stared at Ryder with a serious glare and then tackles him with a bear hug...

"It' aghh... Good to seeeeee~ you too, Midnight!" He says trying to catch a breath. The garchomp released him and got down, letting Beatrice get on.

"She's missed you so much... We'll continue this at home." She said, then took off with Midnight to the cabin. We both get on the chopper.

"That's your mother?" I ask and he chuckles.

"You were expecting a pokemon?" I coughed lightly. This was embarrassing.

"N-no... No... Just, she looks so... young." He smiled. Then we drove the chopper to the house after closing the gate.

"That's what a wild berry diet will do to you. Also, about my name... "

I spoke before he could finish ,"Whatever your reasons to not tell me your real name, I don't care... As long as I get to kill some saviors, it doesn't matter what happens..." I say in confidence.

"Let's see how long you can keep that attitude up..." He said. We park the motorcycle outside of a large and comfy cabin.

Ryder sighs ,"Home, sweet home..." And then in an instant he gets smacked in the face. It was a bit of a blur. But then I could see that it was an angry lucario.

"That's for the White Elephant, asshole!" he said in perfect english.  **What? There are other pokemon with the same talent?**

"Nice to see you too, Dante... " Ryder says as he extends his right hand. The lucario huffed, then smiled and shook it. Ryder caressed his left cheek and smirked.

"Solid hit, dude. How long has it been?" Ryder asked the lucario. He smiles and looks at me.

"About ten years... But, who's counting?" he said, and then they fist bumped.

"Glad to be back... " He said as he walked over to me.

"Zane, this is Dante... My brother, if you will." Ryder explains. It just confused me even more.

"Not actual brothers, we just grew up together... I was actually his father's starter and best friend." he said, and waved goodbye at us, saying he had 'unfinished business' with Midnight. I's not sure what he means, nor do I want to know. Ryder then beckoned me to come into the cabin.

"Well... You must be exhausted... We can begin training tomorrow... Right now, I just want to rest up..." said Ryder looking a his watch. He then released Mia and Hades...

Mia spoke ,"Blaz, ken... Blaziken blaz... ken blaz blaziken." she looked at Ryder, smiled, and looked around.

"Poochyena?" Hades looks up to me.

Ryder responded ,"This is my childhood home... We'll be staying here for a while..." Neither of them looked upset by this. "Zane, this is Hades. Don't let the fangs fool you, though. He's a softy." He added.

Embarrassed Hades replies ,"Yena! Yena, pooch. Poochyena."

"Hi, I guess... Ryder, you said you learned to understand pokemon?" I ask Ryder.

"Tomorrow I'll show you another trick to understand them... Dante's gonna help with that... In the meantime, let's just relax." He replied. He headed upstairs with Mia. Hades fell behind and fell asleep by the fireplace, which was in the living room, along with a few sofas.

"Well, looks like I'm finally alone..." I whisper to myself quietly. And then I release Ruby as fast as I can. She materializes in front on me and gives me a bear hug. I hug her back with a tear in my eye. "Ru... I missed you so much... And it was only four hours." I continue the embrace we were in ,"I love you so much. I hated every second not being with you."

She looks up and replies ,"You stole the words from my mouth..." And after she says that, we kiss each other passionately. My hands went to her waist. It lasted for a few seconds until I heard someone walk in the room.

"Ahem..."

"Dear Arceus! Where did you come from?" I exclaim the question. It was Beatrice, Ryder's mom. "Uhh... Uh... Mm... Uhh..." She bursts out laughing.

"Speak english already." She smirked at the both of us ,"There's nothing you need to hide around me... I already went over that with Ryder when he was your age."

I reply ,"Wait what? Ryder was the same."

"Yep, that's right." She was leaning on the doorway seal. "I can't believe he hasn't told you yet..." An awkward silence followed. She broke the silence by saying ,"So, if you don't mind me asking, where the hell did Ryder find you anyways?" I around the living room admiring the decor.

"Well... It's a long story. But I'm not exactly what you would call 'from around here'. I'm actually from the Kalos Region..." I respond.

She stood there in shock ,"The... Kalos... Region..."

"Yeah... What's wrong with that?"

"He took you from half-way across the world... To come here?" She asks and I just nod. "So, how old are you?"

"Fifteen." I responded. This only shocked her more.

"So, what in the hell made you want to travel half-way across the world with Ryder?" This question was a little too touchy for me.

With a tear in my eye I reply ,"I don't really want to talk about it right now... Not yet... "

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just a little curious."

"No you're fine..." Rudy hugs me again to comfort me and I do the same.

She looked concerned ,"Well... You see... I wasn't really expecting so many guests to arrive today... And Dante is sleeping in the second guest room so... That leaves you with the living room. I'm sorry... I could've arranged something for you guys if Ryder actually bothered to call once in his life."

I shrug it off ,"Hey, whatever. I'm used to sleeping on a couch, so don't worry about me, okay." She smiles.

"Well if you insist. I'll get you two some pillows and sheets to sleep in." I watch as she disappears into a room to retrieve the items she talk about. After a minute she returns with arms full of white sheets and pillows. "Here will this do?" I take the sheets and spreed them on one of the sofas. And then I take the two pillows and put them side by side on the couch. "Well looks like your all set... I'm gonna leave you two alone..." She walked out of the living room and once again Ruby and I were alone.

"Can't wait to look around the place tomorrow... We're gonna be staying here for a long time... So this is our new home for now. Better get used to it."

Ruby glanced at me ,"So we're gonna be safe here? No one is going to find us here?"

"The Saviors will never find us here." I reply to her.

"Good, that's a relief."

She lays on the couch first and I lay next to her. Protecting her from any danger that might occur. "Good night Ru. Love you."

"Good night Zane..." And we fall asleep cuddling close to each other with the warmth of the fire place.

**I wonder what could be in store for me in the future.**


End file.
